Fosamax (alendronate sodium) is an osteoporosis drug manufactured by Merck to treat bone loss. Fosamax is prescribed to millions of people to reduce the risk of bone fractures, primarily involving the hip. Hundreds of Fosamax lawsuits have already been filed by consumers who experienced severe side effects from taking Fosamax. These side effects included a rare decay of the jawbone known as osteonecrosis of the jaw, or ONJ. Recently, a medical study linked Fosamax to a rare type of bone fracture in the femur.
Medical Study Links Fosamax to Femur Bone Fracture
A medical study in the Journal of Orthopedic Trauma links Fosamax to a rare type of fracture in the femur. The small, observational study looked at 70 patients who experienced low-energy femur fractures, which occur when someone falls from a standing height or less. Twenty-five patients (36%) were taking Fosamax on average for four years or more. The Fosamax patients’ fractures had some distinct characteristics: nineteen (76%) of the 25 patients had a simple fracture with a straight line across the bone and a beak-like overhang on one side. Also, the patients’ bones didn’t look like typical osteoporotic bone; they looked strong.
Merck Disagrees with Fosamax Fracture Femur Medical Study
Merck pointed out that Fosamax and other bisphosphonate medications have been shown to decrease the risk of a type of femur fractures common in patients with osteoporosis. In a statement on the new study, Merck said that “a causal association with bisphosphonates and either the fracture pattern or the frequency of these fractures has not been established by the authors.”
Speak to a Fosamax Lawyer
If you took Fosamax and suffered osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ), a broken leg, or femur fracture, we encourage you to contact a Fosamax attorney at our law firm immediately. An experienced product liability attorney can assist you in a legal action against the makers of Fosamax. Contact our law firm and learn more about your legal rights and the options available to you and your family.
Prolonged exposure to cold therapy, ice machines, recirculating ice coolers, cryotherapy and other forms of cold treatment may cause skin damage, permanent nerve damage, and chronic pain to patients. A case report entitled, Cryotherapy Can Cause Permanent Nerve Damage, was published in the American Journal of Pain Management in April of 2004. The case study describes the cold therapy side effects of a patient who had undergone repetitive and prolonged cryotherapy (application of ice), and cryosurgery (cryoablation).
Depakote is used to treat long-term manic and depressive parts of rapidly-cycling bipolar disorder, migraines, epilepsy and chronic pain associated with nervous system diseases. Marketed by Abbott Laboratories, Depakote is a widely used drug. If this drug is used during pregnancy, or if the patient becomes pregnant while taking this drug, the patient should be aware of the risks to the fetus. Use of Depakote during pregnancy can cause congenital malformations including neural tube defects and other deformities.

