What is Fosamax®?
FOSAMAX®; is pharmaceutical company Merck & Co.'s brand name for alendronate, which belongs to a class of drugs known as bisphosphonates. FDA-approved for the treatment of osteoporosis, bisphosphonates have been in use since 1995, prescribed to women suffering from this progressive bone disease as well as people experiencing the bone-compromising effects of cancer. FOSAMAX®; is also prescribed to treat Paget's disease, a condition in which bone tissue breaks down and reforms abnormally. FOSAMAX®; ranks as Merck's second-best-selling product, a blockbuster drug with more than $3 billion in annual sales and 22.4 million prescriptions written in the last year.
Tragically, reports have linked bisphosphonates such as FOSAMAX®; with a rare disease called osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ). Osteonecrosis of the jaw, sometimes called jaw death, is a serious and irreversible condition in which a person's jawbone rots and eventually dies. Early signs of ONJ include unexplained loosening of the teeth, swelling of the gums, and jaw numbness. Other symptoms range from exposed bone or drainage in the oral cavity to poor healing of the gums. Some oral surgeons claim that drugs such as FOSAMAX®; are especially damaging when taken over extended periods of time.
Since 2001, thousands of U.S. residents taking bisphosphonate drugs in either oral or injected form have reported bone damage and other debilitating problems. Though the majority of the reported cases involve cancer patients who've had dental procedures, the American Association of Endodontics issued a statement recommending that dental surgeons consider any patient currently taking bisphosphonates at some risk for ONJ. Researchers have also discovered that taking FOSAMAX®; (which is known to irritate the esophagus) in combination with the drug naproxen may increase the risk of stomach ulcers.
A class action lawsuit claims that Merck marketed FOSAMAX®; as a safe treatment, thus concealing information on the drug's potentially dangerous side effects. In addition, the lawsuit alleges that the drug maker has yet to comply with a 2004 request by the FDA that a warning be added to the FOSAMAX®; label. If you are currently taking FOSAMAX®;, or if you have taken this drug in the past, you should first discuss any concerns you might have with a physician familiar with your medical history. If ONJ is a concern, doctors can use x-rays to detect any abnormalities or conduct other tests for infection. If you believe you or a family member is suffering any injuries or illnesses associated with FOSAMAX®;, contact our Fosamax attorneys for a case evaluation
What are Pharmaceutical Injuries?
Medications are meant to bring relief and healing, but some drugs have serious side effects that threaten patients' health and lives. Our firm has experience with product liability cases and can handle the complex process of negotiating and litigating claims against drug manufacturers. These pharmaceutical companies have a responsibility to ensure that their drugs are not unreasonably dangerous. If a problem with a drug becomes evident, the company must work with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to strengthen warnings or withdraw the drug from the market. This, unfortunately, does not always happen. Drugs like Fen-Phen, Baycol®;, Rezulin®;, Meridia®;, and Propulsid have caused serious harm to many patients and killed others because of their manufacturers' hesitancy to recall their products. If you have been injured by a pharmaceutical drug, or have a potential product liability claim, contact our San Francisco, California product liability lawyers, who are not afraid of taking on the major pharmaceutical manufacturers of these types of drugs. Click here to learn information about Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH).
What is Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH)?
Primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH) - Medical professionals have linked primary pulmonary hypertension to patients who have taken the diet drug "Phen-fen." Our firm is experienced in handling cases involving this type of heart condition.
Primary pulmonary hypertension is a condition where the blood flow that leaves the right side of the heart faces a higher pressure than normal. People suffering from primary pulmonary hypertension have an increased amount of muscle in the walls of their lungs, causing a higher resistance to blood flow. The right ventricle must work harder to pump blood out to the lungs. Eventually, the right side of heart will thicken and enlarge. With time, the extra work results in heart failure.
At birth, most people have high pressure in the lungs which quickly return to normal once their body adjusts to living outside the womb. Beyond birth, 8 out of 100,000 people suffer from primary pulmonary hypertension. Women between the ages of 20 and 40 are most at risk, especially if they have a family history of primary pulmonary hypertension or sudden death.
Primary pulmonary hypertension occurs at any age, including teenagers. People who have a family history of this condition should seek medical attention. Recently, there has been an increase in patients with primary pulmonary hypertension who have taken "Phen-fen," a combination diet drug. Therapy available merely controls the PPH side effect of high blood pressure. It does not save the patient from eventual heart valve damage. A single or bilateral lung transplant remains the most viable treatment option. Signs of primary pulmonary hypertension include:
- Shortness of breath during activity
- Breathing harder and faster
- Fatigue and weakness
- Fainting spells
- Lightheadedness or dizziness
- Coughing up blood
- Blue tinge to lips hands and feet
If you have experienced any or all of these symptoms, visit your health practitioner immediately. Here you will find a dedicated website resource on Primary Pulmonary Hypertension. Click here to read more about how our PPH Lawyers can help you.
If you have taken the drug "Phen-fen" or any other over-the-counter prescription drugs and are experiencing serious side-effects, contact us today for important information regarding pharmaceutical litigation.
Sometimes medication just doesn’t work. When is a bad result actionable?
A pharmaceutical – like all medical treatment – comes with no guarantee that it will cure, or even improve, a patient’s condition. But it does come with a certain expectation: that the manufacturer will ensure that its drug is not unreasonably dangerous – and if problems become evident, it will work with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to create appropriate warnings, or even withdraw the drug from the market. Unfortunately, drug makers – spurred by profits and worried about competitors – don’t always abide by this duty. And needless injuries, and death, are often the result.
Shouldn’t the drug company have known early on that there was a problem?
In fact, they often do. In many cases, attorneys, regulators, and investigators have turned up evidence that a drug company did know of problems with their product – such as a clinical trial that showed troubling results. But these warning flags were overlooked or, worse, covered up. The pharmaceutical industry is a high-stakes, highly competitive business, where it takes many years and many millions of dollars to develop a product; where rivals are always racing to one-up one another with new products. As a result, even the largest, most respected pharmaceutical companies have, on occasion, put profits and market share ahead of responsibility and duty.
What are some of the pharmaceuticals that have caused harm – or even resulted in death – because man
The list, unfortunately, is filled with well-known, heavily prescribed medications that millions of patients have relied on. Many of these drugs have made the headlines over and over as negligence suits have been filed and tried. The following is just a sampling of popular medications that have caused severe, avoidable injury:
- The diet drug Fen-Phen
- The acne drug Accutane
- The arthritis drug Vioxx
- The cholesterol drug Baycol
- The anti-diabetic and anti-inflamatory drug Rezulin
- The obesity drug Meridia
- The heartburn drug Propulsid
Is there a time limit for bringing a pharmaceutical injury claim?
Yes, and this is an especially important point. Statute of limitations – which spell out the time limits for bringing a pharmaceutical claim – vary from state to state, and are stringent and unforgiving. Perfectly good claims have gone unanswered simply because a patient failed to file a suit in time. That’s why it is essential to consult – and consult promptly – with a lawyer skilled in pharmaceutical litigation.
What makes a pharmaceutical claim a particularly complex case?
All negligence cases require skilled advocacy – showing the duty a defendant owed, how that duty was breached, the injury that resulted, and damages that the plaintiff suffered. But a pharmaceutical case is particularly complex, and challenging, as it involves both the cutting-edge of medical science and deep-pocketed defendants that can – and do – spare no expense in litigating these cases. Patients who win these suits do so because they partnered with lawyers skilled not just in the law, but in the science; firms that have the resources and the will to go up against some of the most powerful companies in the country. At Mary Alexander & Associates we’ve built a record, and a reputation, over the past 25 years for mastering the technical and legal aspects of products liability and medical negligence cases, and for taking on opponents big and small. Because it’s not the size of the defendant that matters, but the extent of the harm. Through experience, dedication, and high-tech courtroom exhibits, we’ve won these challenging cases – and won a new start for our clients.
How will I pay for your services?
It’s simple: Unless we recover a financial award or settlement, you don’t owe us a dime. That’s because we handle pharmaceutical injury and death cases on a contingent-fee basis. In short, that means the risk is all ours: You pay us only if we’re successful. And if we are unable to recover an award or settlement, you pay us nothing. Expenses work the same way. We pay all costs of the litigation, and get reimbursed only if we successfully conclude the case. Think of it this way: It may be your lawsuit, but it’s always our risk. That’s why you can be assured that if we take your case, it’s because we fully intend to win it.
