Fosamax, Merck’s prescription drug that treats postmenopausal osteoporosis, has been linked to bone fractures by yet another study – leaving patients to question whether the benefits of the drug outweigh its risks.

Cornell University study

Doctors at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University concluded that long term use of Fosamax, also known as bisphosphonate alendronate, increased patients’ risks of femoral fractures – the femur being the large bone that connects the knee to the hip. As part of the study, published in the Journal of Orthopedic Trauma, they looked at 70 patients with an average age of 75 who had femoral fractures that were taking the drug and found an unusual pattern of fractures for those patients who had been taking the drug for five or more years. The research team advised that doctors prescribing the drug should monitor patients’ bone regeneration until further studies can be completed.

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Other issues

This is not the first study to link Fosamax to bone issues. The drug, which is supposed to benefit a person’s bones, seems to be doing just the opposite in many of the patients that take it. Approved in 1999, the drug has since been linked to a deterioration of the jaw bone, known as osteonecrosis, and required an additional warning to be placed on the label in 2005. It has also been linked to increased rates of irregular heartbeats, or atrial fibrillation, according to the New England Journal of Medicine. Legal experts say that over 100 lawsuits have already been filed against Merck over Fosamax.

Merck has said that it plans to conduct additional studies on how Fosamax relates to bone fractures and deterioration, but many patients feel as though the company, or the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, should have conducted these studies before the product was put into the marketplace.

If you’ve been injured due to Fosamax or any other drug, contact an attorney whose practice focuses in this area of law to discuss your situation. Consultations are free, without obligation and strictly confidential. To contact a qualified attorney, please click here. We may be able to help.

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