Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says data from an ongoing safety review of oral bisphosphonates, such as Fosamax, prescribed for the treatment of bone loss, do not appear to be related to an increased risk of thigh fractures. However, the agency is telling health care professionals to be aware of a possible risk of atypical subtrochanteric femur fractures in patients using bisphosphonates.

The ongoing safety review was initiated in June 2008, following published case reports of this specific type of thigh fracture in patients with osteoporosis taking bisphosphonates. The agency says it will continue to study this issue along with a team of outside experts, which includes members of the American Society of Bone and Mineral Research Subtrochanteric Femoral Fracture Task Force.

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Three lawsuits against the makers of Fosamax, a popular medication to prevent bone loss, are slated to go to trial, including one filed in Alabama state court by Beasley Allen attorney W. Chad Cook. The lawsuits are among the nearly 900 cases brought against Merck & Co. by 1,280 plaintiff groups who allege Fosamax caused them serious jaw problems.

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Back in January we explained how many pharmaceutical companies, following a Hollywood business model, have started to experience an erosion of their profits as patents expire on their “blockbuster” drugs. Aggressive, multi-billion-dollar marketing campaigns lead to multi-billion-dollar drug sales, but when patents expire, so do profits.

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