Esophageal Cancer Possibly Linked to Fosamax

There have been recent reports which claim that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had received reports of at least 23 patients in the United States where diagnosed with esophageal cancer while on Fosamax. The time frame of the reporting was between the initial marketing in October 1995 through mid-May 2008.Currently there are no similar reports for other oral bisphosphonates in the FDA database for adverse-event reporting. However, by the time that the study was published, eight of the 23 patients had already died. Currently no Fosamax litigation has been filed on behalf of those eight who have died.

According to the FDA, up to 23 patients in the United States had been diagnosed with esophageal cancer, with Fosamax as the suspect drug (in 21 patients) or the concomitant drug (in two patients).

Of the 23 patients, 18 were women, and the average age was 74 years. Among the 14 patients with dose information, eight were reported to have taken Fosamax at a dose of 10 mg per day; five were reported to have taken 70 mg per week; and one was reported to have taken Fosamax “once per week.”

The study also showed that the average time that Fosamax was being used was about two years per patient. It is also indicated that not all information about the risk factors for all patients was provided, however one patient took Fosamax despite having Barrett's Esophagus, a precursor of esophageal adenocarcinoma. Other risk factors for these patients may have included smoking, drinking and heavy acid reflux.

The FDA does however go on to say that a larger population size is needed to cement the link between Fosamax use and cancer however the possibility of the event may scare off potential users. The biggest problem that most esophageal cancer patients face is that the symptoms of the early stages of this cancer rarely show themselves.

As the cancer grows symptoms that can start to show its difficulty, there is likely spitting up of blood and sudden weight loss. Fosamax may also cause several other side effects, which can include low-impact bone fractures. Knowing what to look for and what to do when Fosamax side effects show is always important, and always consult with a doctor if these side effects begin to show.

URL References:

http://www.drugalert.org/news/2010/09/09/fosamax-allegedly-connected-esophageal-cancer-bone-breaks

http://www.emaxhealth.com/1024/94/28167/fosamax-may-cause-esophageal-cancer.html

Merck Claims Fosamax Not Behind Woman’s Bone Fractures

Mrs. Graves, a Manhattan woman, is currently having her civil trial against Merck heard in court. Her lawyer, Timothy M. O’Brien, is claiming that Fosamax had caused such debilitating jawbone deterioration that Mrs. Graves required five major operations, including a lengthy surgery to replace her broken jaw with bone from her left arm.

Merck states that their product Fosamax, is not the root cause of these problems as Mrs. Graves claims. Merck contends that Mrs. Graves took other prescriptions: like steroids to treat rheumatoid arthritis that weakened her immune system, leading to her jaw infection and healing problems, said Paul F. Strain, outside counsel for the company.

This Lawsuit is part of a handful of bellwether cases that have been filed against Merck, these bellwether cases represent about 1,400 people who are claiming that Fosamax is at the root of their bone ailments. Merck had won the court’s decision in an earlier case; but in another, a judge proposed to reduce a plaintiff’s jury award to $1.5 million from $8 million dollars, both sides plan to appeal the ruling.

In Mrs. Graves’s case, the trial is providing a palpable backdrop for a broadening debate among many doctors and researchers who are rethinking Fosamax and similar bone medications known as oral bisphosphonates, particularly as a treatment for women who have not yet developed osteoporosis.

An advisory issued last month by the Food and Drug Administration, which first approved Fosamax in the 1990s to treat and prevent osteoporosis, along with reports in medical journals linking bisphosphonates with some rare medical problems including unusual thigh fractures, has heightened criticism of the long-term use of these medications. The advisory states that all Bisphosphonate producers must proactively warn their consumers about the dangers and potential side effects of their drug by placing warning labels on their products. According to many, including Mrs. Graves, these warnings have come too late as they have already suffered an atypical bone fracture.

Your rights should be your main concern if you have been injured by the use of Fosamax. You can always seek free consultation from a Fosamax Lawyer for more information on you potential legal actions against Merck.