An Illinois woman recently filed a lawsuit against the makers of the osteoporosis drugs Fosamax and Actonel, claiming that the medications caused her to sustain an atypical femur fracture. The suit was filed by Dorothy Bozue and her husband on October 31, in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, and named as defendants Merck – the manufacturer of Fosamax – and Warner Chilcott – the manufacturer of Actonel. In her complaint, Dorothy Bozue alleges that complications associated with Actonel and Fosamax caused her bones to become weak or brittle, and claims that long-term use of the drugs caused her to suffer a low-energy femur fracture resulting from severely suppressed bone turnover. If you took Fosamax and have since sustained a femur fracture or another serious side effect, contact our qualified Fosamax attorneys at AMA Law to discuss your legal options.
ATYPICAL FRACTURES LINKED TO OSTEOPOROSIS DRUGS
According to her femur fracture lawsuit, Bozue was prescribed Fosamax and Actonel for more than 10 years to treat and prevent osteoporosis or osteopenia, taking Actonel from June 2001 to December 2001, and Fosamax from December 2001 to March 2012. Actonel and Fosamax are both bisphosphonate drugs commonly prescribed to patients to reduce the risk of bone fractures linked to osteoporosis. Unfortunately, long-term use of the osteoporosis drugs has been associated with an increased risk of atypical femur fractures, which can occur with little or no trauma – including while taking a step or falling from standing height or less.
FDA WARNINGS FOR FEMUR FRACTURE SIDE EFFECTS
In October 2010, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) required Warner Chilcott, Merck, and other osteoporosis drug manufacturers to update their drug warning labels to include the risk of sudden femur fractures. The agency advised patients taking bisphosphonate drugs like Fosamax or Actonel to seek immediate medical attention if they experienced groin pain or other symptoms that may occur before a complete femur fracture. In researching reports of side effects linked to Fosamax and Actonel osteoporosis drugs, the FDA has determined that the risk of femur fractures appears to be connected to long-term use of the bisphosphonate medications.
FOSAMAX ATTORNEYS FOR DRUG INJURY CLAIMS
Although Fosamax and Actonel are designed to strengthen the bones as a treatment for osteoporosis, studies have shown that the bisphosphonate drugs may actually impair the femur bone’s ability to repair itself from microdamage, increasing the risk of spontaneous femur fractures. The allegations involved in Bozue’s lawsuit are similar to those addressed in hundreds of other Actonel and Fosamax lawsuits, filed on behalf of patients who suffered spontaneous femur fractures while taking the medications. If you have experienced a major injury like a femur fracture, and you believe the osteoporosis drug Fosamax to be the cause, contact our knowledgeable Fosamax lawyers at AMA Law for legal help. Our drug injury attorneys have extensive experience protecting the rights of patients adversely affected by pharmaceutical drugs, and can help you pursue the compensation you deserve for your injuries.