Drug To Strengthen Bones Could Do The Opposite

By Jennifer Ryan 9 TVNews

It's meant to keep your bones strong, but a new class action lawsuit claims the popular drug Fosamax may do just the opposite. Some patients claim long-term use of the drug can rot your jaw. Some have even lost their jaws completely. It could potentially be the latest in legal trouble for the drug company Merck, which is still reeling from the Vioxx scandal.

Fosamax is meant to prevent osteoporosis, or thinning of the bones, but it may actually be doing just the opposite. Michael Schwartz, an oral surgeon in Baltimore says most doctors aren't even aware of the problems Fosamax can cause. It belongs to a class of drugs called bisphosphonates, which also include the pills Actonel and Boniva and the IV drugs Aredia and Zometa, which are typically used in cancer patients.

Sheldon Gottesfeld has an area of his jaw that's literally dead. It's called osteonecrosis of the jaw and after 11 years after being successfully treated for leukemia, Sheldon's losing his teeth. Not from cancer, but his doctor believe from taking Fosomax and Zomata as a preventative measure.

For patients like Sheldon, a simple tooth extraction can shatter the jaw. Reconstructive surgery can be disfiguring and may not heal. Sheldon is worried, he might need two teeth pulled. DC Attorney David Ennis has an alert sent to doctors by drug maker Novartis, which says patients and doctors are not adequately warned about the risk of dead jaw.

"We (Merck) certainly encourage any patient taking Fosamax to tell their dentist before any procedure," company spokesman Christopher Loder said.
He also said that Merck added the warning to its U.S. labels at the request of the FDA. That label is actually a 22-page document which is given to pharmacies that dispense Fosamax. The item on osteonecrosis of the jaw is buried in the middle of page 13.

Sheldon says he never saw any warning on his drug labels. Ennis, the attorney, says: "It's a $3 billion dollar a year drug. This company clearly is putting profit over people...because it knows once it puts a black box warning on label, sales will go down."

Sheldon stopped taking Fosamax and Zomata, but doctors say they can stay in the body for up to 10 years. So the worst many not be over. Drugs like Fosamax are effective against osteoporosis, so for now no one is suggesting you stop taking them. Complications like dead jaw are considered rare, but, expect to hear more about the problem as doctors and patients become more aware of this condition, as well as a class action lawsuit.