Alendronate: A Short History of Merck’s Lawsuits

Mon, 13 Aug 2012 20:12:48 +0100

In the ongoing legal controversy over Merck’s osteoporosis drug Fosamax and the complications experienced by patients who have taken the medication, mainstream media continue to document the developing events concerning the lawsuits over this popular osteoporosis drug, industry analysts noted. In the past decade complaints of cases against the pharmaceutical manufacturer over Fosamax’ side effects have accumulated and in the last few years from 2009, court hearings have been tried and continue to come forward by plaintiffs seeking recompense over damages from receiving Fosamax prescriptions.

The FDA in early 2000 began receiving complaints of complications relating to Fosamax treatment which were supported by research findings that have studied reports from people on prescription with it. Although the main complaints linked to Fosamax were osteonecrosis of the jaw and atypical bone fractures which have lead to many court cases against manufacturer Merck & Co., recent studies have uncovered another complication in esophageal cancer, which might be another possible cause for further lawsuits.

In six bellwether cases involving Merck and their popular osteoporosis medication Fosamax, plaintiffs have alleged that the pharmaceutical company is responsible for causing osteonecrosis of the jaw from taking the bone strengthening drug. All in all there are reportedly 2,345 pending cases filed by over 2.800 plaintiff groups against the drug company. A majority of the cases against Merck were combined and grouped together in class action lawsuits due to the great number that lawsuits that need to be heard more efficiently collectively instead of one after the other.

Merck’s official position regarding these complaints is that there is no definitive evidence linking Fosamax as the cause of the complications listed in the lawsuits despite the FDA ordering the drug company to upgrade their warning labels for osteonecrosis of the jaw and atypical bone fractures to warn consumers. In conjunction with their official stance, Merck has motioned to have as much as 24 pending cases dismissed as having no merit, which was summarily rejected by the presiding judge.

As of now, more cases continue to be brought forward with the most recent news report on a New Jersey judge’s decision that opted to try a case involving atypical femur fracture instead of another case of osteonecrosis of the jaw. Experts have speculated that more cases will come to light over other Fosamax complications against Merck with no end yet in sight for either the drug manufacturer or the plaintiffs.

URL References:

bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aNS2rN6DCYOo
14news.com/story/19131939/south-carolina-woman-alleges-mercks-fosamax-is-responsible-for-femur-fracture-injury-files-lawsuit-alleging-the-bone-loss-drug-caused-the-atypical
merck.com/newsroom/news-release-archive/corporate/2012_0227.html
merck.com/newsroom/news-release-archive/corporate/2011_0907.html

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Alendronate: A Short History of Merck’s Lawsuits