What is Fosamax?
The drug Fosamax was brought to the market by pharmaceutical company, Merck, and it gained FDA approval in 1995. Fosamax is mainly prescribed to treat osteoporosis and Paget's disease (osteitis deformans) and is often used during cancer treatments to strengthen bones and keep cancer from metastasizing in the bones. There are several cancers that can involve bone metastasis, including lung cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, multiple myeloma, and others. It is important to note that when bisphosphonates are used in cancer chemotherapy, Fosamax and other bisphosphates are given intravenously and for longer intervals. Fosamax is in the drug family of bisphosphonates. Bisphosphonates, or diphosphonates, is a drug class that inhibits the resorption of bone, that is, the process by which osteoclasts break down bone and release the minerals creating increased bone fragility.
Fosamax side effects are known to include stomach upset and esophageal erosion, a slightly increased risk for disturbed electrolytes in the system, and they can cause osteonecrosis of the jaw, especially those who are currently on a chemotherapy regiment. These side effects are also common among other bisphosphates as well, and have led to a series of inquiries and Fosamax Lawsuits. If a patient is suffering from renal failure they need to take a much higher dose and the drugs are excreted more slowly.
Fosamax side effects have been specifically tied to Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (ONJ) which is also known as Dead Jaw or Fossy Jaw & Phossy Jaw. ONJ is a condition in which the bone tissue in the jaw does not heal after minor or major trauma which includes tooth extraction, or any procedure that causes the bone to be exposed. This exposure eventually leads to infection and fracture because the jaw cannot heal and ultimately may lead to surgery to remove the dead bone tissue.
Essentially, this means that individuals taking Fosamax should avoid having any invasive dental procedure which might include any tooth extractions or any contact or work on the jaw bone which could result in jaw death. Unfortunately, this was not discovered until later in the process after over 50 people developed complications related to their Fosamax drug treatment. Prevention and early treatment of patients using bisphosphonates such as Fosamax is extremely important in preserving the jawbone but you should not stop taking Fosamax because the benefits of the drug do outweigh the risks in many instances.
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the manufacturer of Fosamax issued a warning to health care professionals on September 24, 2004 about the potential of developing ONJ while taking Fosamax. Oral surgeons were some of the first medical professionals to note the issue. In May of 2004, one doctor reported seeing 63 patients with the same jaw condition between February 2001 and November 2003. Of those 63 cases, 56 had received the IV bisphosphonate drugs Zometa, Actonel or Aredia while seven had been taking oral medications all of which were in the bisphosphonate drug family.
Most of the cases of ONJ have been related to cancer patients who took Fosamax or another bisphosphonate intravenously and for longer periods of time. Very few cases have been linked to osteoporosis treatment. If you or someone you know or love has been affected by this drug defect you should contact an attorney regarding a possible Fosamax lawsuit as soon as possible. You may be entitled to compensation or redress based on the fact that you were did not receive timely a warning about the potential danger associated with the medication.