Fosamax® Injury Attorneys in San Diego - Kerry Steigerwalt's Pacific Law Center
At Kerry Steigerwalt's Pacific Law Center, our Fosamax® injury attorneys in San Diego work to protect the rights of people injured by the prescription drug Fosamax®. Fosamax® is the trade name of the biphosphonate drug alendronate sodium, prescribed to prevent, slow down, or reverse the progression of osteoporosis (the thinning of bones that is prevalent among older women — although osteoporosis is not limited to women). Fosamax® can also be used for patients whose cancer has spread to their bones. Fosamax® is manufactured by the international pharmaceutical company Merck & Co., the same company battling lawsuits over the side effects of VIOXX®, a pain relief medicine they promoted. In fact, Merck is now facing a recently filed class action lawsuit regarding a very serious potential side effect of Fosamax®: osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ, also known as rotting of the jaw bone or “jaw death”). The class action contends that Merck concealed information about the ONJ risk associated with Fosamax® from patients and doctors. Our Fosamax® injury attorneys at the San Diego offices of Kerry Steigerwalt's Pacific Law Center can tell you more about the legal issues surrounding Fosamax®.
ONJ may first be noted when someone has minor surgery that exposes bone or has a tooth removed. The bone doesn’t heal afterwards, and the exposed, dead bone tissue can lead to infection, requiring long-term therapy with antibiotics, or even surgical removal of the bone.
Increasing numbers of American women are taking biphosphonates such as Fosamax® for the prevention or treatment of osteoporosis, as our elderly population grows larger and as many women have turned away from hormone replacement to keep their bones healthy. Oral surgeons and other health professionals have noted the increase in ONJ.
If you suffer from a bone or jaw problem or ONJ and you’ve taken Fosamax®, or if you feel that you’ve incurred a Fosamax® injury, please contact one of our Fosamax® attorneys in San Diego at Kerry Steigerwalt's Pacific Law Center to arrange for a consultation.
