Woman says the osteoporosis drug destroyed her jaw bone
Article Source: msnbc.com
from:msnbc.comMerck hit with $8 million Fosamax verdict
Seeded on Fri Jun 25, 2010 5:04 PM EDT (msnbc.com)
- msnbc.com sites & shows:
- TODAY
- Rock Center
- Nightly News
- Meet the Press
- Dateline
- Morning Joe
- Hardball
- Ed
- Maddow
- Last Word
- msnbc tv
Leave a Comment:
Way to go! She had an uphill battle all the way! When will big pharma learn they can't put bad products on the market and expect not to compensate trusting people who use those products thinking they were tested adequately and represented little risk. This was not a life-saving drug. It was a life enhancing product that failed to be tested long enough or sufficient to prevent life changing destruction. I say they are lucky to get off for 8 million frankly! What if all those taking ED products were to suddenly discover it would make something drop off in 2-3 years? Would you hear a cry of foul then?
No one forced this woman to take the drug. No Drug, repeat, No Drug is 100% safe for 100% of those taking it. If you are one of the few that have a problem, quite frankly, it is your problem. Why should everyone else have to suffer because your body reacted differently to it.
This BS only happens in the States. You never hear of suits like this in Europe. Why? 1) They are much more responsible for their own actions. 2) Their legal system doesn't allow this kind of BS.
I have a very unique business that requires me to do a minor background check on all my clients/customers. I make a practice to never do business with a lawyer or someone that has ever sued another individual or business. I don't trust either and refuse to do business with them.
Love how cavalier you are with somebody else's health.
Liberal Lady you are an idiot. The damage done to her jawbone was done by decades of smoking and years of not going to the dentist. Just because you have an issue with pharmaceutical companies you decide not to look at the bigger issues. You are probably the type of person who only takes natural remedies because "they are safer and better for you" than prescription drugs.
Sounds to me like she is smoking her way to the bank. When will people stop blaming others for their own health issues? If she is in her 70's then she has probably been smoking for 50+ years. Gee, that doesn't that have some effect on bone loss? No one made her pick up her first cigarette and no one made her keep it up. No one made her take Fosamax and I feel quite sure her MD advised her to quit smoking. No sympathy from me.
Her smoking is what gave me lung cancer...........can I sue her?? She is sure gonna have enough money now right? All of us who got lung cancer from second hand smoke should be able to sue all the smokers who have sued everyone else because they didn't have the guts to throw the damn things out. I never smoked in my life and I get to die from lung cancer...I guess I deserve some $$$$ from these smokers!!
lol. why dont we just have everyone sue everyone and be done with it.......any way i just love it when people think drugs (including your over the counter or natural remedies) are 100% safe and NOT ever going to give you ANY side effects. ALL HAVE RISKS AND BENEFITS.... it is up to the INDIVIDUAL to decide is it worth it for them to take it. In thecase of fosamax and other bone density increasing medications (boniva, actenol, etc) they all bind to the bone allowing the body to build stronger bones by layering on more calcium etc. In the normal cycle of things your body makes and "breaks" done bone continueously. The problem is when you get older, have other health conditions, certain medications... the bone breaks down more than it builds and the bones lose density, making them easier to break and when you are 70 + years, if you break your hip it may mean your done if you have someone who can help you great, most though end up in a nursing home and their health continues to decline. (NOT all but a lot). These drugs bind to the bone so the body cant break it down. so a person is able to increase the density of the bone. However the reason the jaw is a problem is due to SURGERY of the JAW, ie teeth pulled etc. THe bone is not always able to heal properly. thus osteonecrosis of the jaw.
Medications have brought alot of advances to our health allowing us to live as long as we have when we are not taking care of our selves or genetics gave us the crap shot. My advice to everyone out there is to look at the benefit (This includes OTC and natural products) and risk involved and on wheither there are any changes that you can do ie stop smoking, lose weight, exercise.. and decide on what it is worth to you. ALL drugs have a risk and only YOU can decide if it is worth it, but You have to live with the results either way.
Heaven help you Dean if you ever need legal remedy. Maybe you can call a pharmaceutical rep or something.
Aw comon Dean tell us what you do that allows you to avoid lawyers & the such; you say you're in a unique business, so are drug manufacturers remember here this plantiff made a business deal with a drug manufacturer BOTH to the gamble on specified results & risk, Caveat Emptur.
Pocket change for Merck, windfall for the lawyers and for the plantiff plan on appeals & a new burden in the legal system; they'll not let you escape with their $$$
Gene - Your right, I can't avoid lawyers. In fact, I have to work with them on almost a daily basis. What I said is that I will never have one as a client nor will I have a client that has ever profited or tried to profit from a lawsuit. I don't need the potential headache nor their dirty money.
You are wrong in that it is not pocket change for Merck. Merck is not privately owned. The money lost on these lawsuits affects profits, which then affect stockholders and their investment. The money doesn't just magically come out of the sky. You don't think that "expense" won't be added back to the price of future drugs? Why are drugs so expensive in the States as compared to the same drugs in say Europe? In the States they establish contingency funds for these BS lawsuits. Those suits never happen in Europe, so the fund isn't needed. The bottom line "profit" is the same on either side. The company simply has to charge more in the States to cover the additional costs.
You want to see drug prices drop? Eliminate the BS lawsuits.
Sounds to me like she is smoking her way to the bank. When will people stop blaming others for their own health issues? If she is in her 70's then she has probably been smoking for 50+ years. Gee, that doesn't that have some effect on bone loss? No one made her pick up her first cigarette and no one made her keep it up. No one made her take Fosamax and I feel quite sure her MD advised her to quit smoking. No sympathy from me.
Heaven Help you Liberal Lady if you ever need a medication to improve health.
There's been a lot of evidence that Fosomax causes brittle bones. Like many of these "wonder drugs" they cause the very problem they are supposed to treat. I don't say cure because you have to take this stuff for the rest of your life. Many doctors give it to women blindly without weighing the severe side effects. Americans have to wake up to Big Pharma's control. Use vitamins, herbs and acupuncture or other alternative medicine before agreeing to the drug treatment. The side effects aren't worth it.
Wellness, you hit the nail perfectly on the head. 99.99% of the medical professionals will tell you that you do not need to take vitamins or mineral supplements or use herbs. Herbs and spices when use in cooking or eaten raw aid the body in many ways. Vitamins are a must for great health. So are minerals, especially Calcium. It is the most important mineral in your body not only for your bones but everything else too. One of the accelerators for Alzheimer's disease is lack of calcium in the brain. When certain parts of the body become deficient in calcium they start taking calcium from the bones when that is depleted they rob from other parts of the body causing very serious problems in your health.
I agree w/Elvie. I was one of the first to take Fosomax in my area and took it for over 3 years. That was over 15 years ago. I had no problems, not even to this day. I did stop and took control with diet and exercise so I did not have to depend on a chemincal in my body. It is amazing what getting off the couch and in front of a TV will do for you.
This exact thing happened to a client of mine and it turned out it was the Fosomax. She couldn't eat and could barely open her mouth to speak because of the pain. Her jaw bone was affected and she was in severe pain all the time.
And people wonder why health care and medications are so expensive. this is why. Lawyers using them as cash cows. I'm sure the heavy smoking had nothing to do with her health issues.
People beg for these meds but if they happen to be the 1 in 1,000,000 people that have abad reaction, LOTTERY ! Lawyers are the root of so much of whats destroying our country. $8,000,000 isnt going to fix her problems, if people want to hit big pharm in the pocket book, award $8,000,000 to research and developement, not have someone win the lottery and perpetuate the greed, Shame on the lawyers that pull this B.S.
My Mom passed away 4 years ago at age 93. She degenerated pretty fast after the doctors found she had a very bad case of acid reflux disease that had been going on for quite a few years. She was given various medications and drank Maalox by the bottle almost daily. Her doctor put her on Fosamax and within weeks she had to be examined by a gastrointeroligist as she couldn't swallow sometimes. This went on until another doctor took her off the Fosamax. She went down hill pretty fast after they found her esophagus was to thin they refused to even examine her. She died after months of agonizing pain and suffering. We looked after her 24 hours a day 7 days a week and I will always remember her to be the most forgiving person I ever knew. She is missed greatly. I feel she was given this medication by people that did not have her best interest in mind. I only hope profit and greed has their own type of misery associated with it. My Mom is gone, I love her still, and always will.
You ray4a don't have a clue about esophageal reflux disease. NO one with the disease should take fosamax or other antioseaoparosis med. Read the inserts. Maalox is NO way to treat reflux disease either - sounds to me her doctor was a quack or at best uneducated. As for contributing her death to fosamax - you kinda forgot that your mom was 93 and God knows what other co-morbidities she had besides esophageal reflux. If she had reflux for years - did she have a scope done?? What did it show?? did she have barretts?? did she have esophageal cancer?? From the sound of things - you didn't have a clue what was going on with your mom nor did you care to find out.
These drugs will often kill you before they make you well. The drug companies are so obsessed with their profits, that they don't take the time to make the proper studies to ensure their safety. My own doctor, who had prescribed a well-known medication, depacote, for my nervous condition, later had me stop taking it because my doctor had read in a medical journal that it may cause osteoperosis. At least I have a doctor who's not afraid to admit he's wrong. I would never sue my doctor because he's honest and dedicated, but if I could prove that depacote caused me to get osteoperosis, I wouldn't hesitate for one second to sue the greedy, money hungry drug company that cares more about profits than the lives of its users, or rather victims.
Having taken fossamax or actonel for many years I know these are very damaging drugs. My endocrinologist has taken me off Fossamax for 6 months because of the worry of cancer of the espophagus. If you have never taken these drugs you should hold your comments. I believe Merck should be held accountable. Perhaps if their drug reps delivered fewer lunches and other free gifts to physicians around the country they could afford to pay this judgment to this lady.
as a practicing dentist, with over 40 years experience, i am well aware that the public has no idea how fast smoking will destroy the bone around your teeth. that along with poor hygiene, and lack of proper vitamin c intake, will widdle your lower jawbone down to the width of a pencil by the time you are 70,.....especially if you have diabetes. i also know that medications like fosomax ,boniva ,etc . have a 'reputation' for destroying bone... i would never let anyone in my family use it.. i used to smoke for 15 years, and quit cold turkey when i realized it was a 'self-imposed' death sentence.
I have been taking Fosamax for more than 10 years without any problems. The drug is supposed to be taken only if you can stand up (and not lay down) after you take it. I have fallen down a few times and I believe I did not break any bones due to the Fosamax (I am 71 years old). Besides drugs do not work the same for everyone. Suing the company for $8,000.000 is only going to prevent further research and although I feel badly for the woman, the fact that she smokes and had periodontal disease (which erodes bone) should be considered and not blame it entirely on the Fosamax. Besides if she had any problems, she should had stopped it before it got worse.! Shame on her and shame on her lawyers.
I am so sick of the ambulance chasers getting fat off of health care. I'm a nurse practitioner and worked in oncology. It is a well known fact by providers that one risk of any of the drugs in this class (Fosamax) is osteonecrosis of the jaw(breakdown of the bone.) Most healthcare providers are conscientious enough to forwarn their patients of all risks of medications. Certainly her smoking and poor health did not help the situation. I hope that this ruling gets overturned so that these drugs remain available to cancer patients and others that really need them.
Any drug you take, has risks. Now if a drug company knows a certain harm is likely to happen when it is taken, and they fool the FDA, or ignore warnings, shame on them. But if a side effect was "just an unfortunate event" then why do they have to pay money? Any drug you take involves risk, even asprin or non asprin products. I grow weary of people who take a drug with no serious known side effects, then sue when something goes wrong. On the other hand, if they knew, then hang 'em.
It has been well known among many dentists and doctors for some time that Fosamax can cause erosion of the jaw bone. The jaw is one of the most biologically active bones constantly losing and replacing calcium. Other bones in the body also deteriorate with Fosamax but to a lesser degree. Most good doctors took their patients off of Fosamax two or three years ago. Fosamax does cause an increase in blood levels of calcium. The problem is that some of that calcium has actually been freed from the bone itself causing osteoporosis instead of preventing it. This drug should have already been pulled. The fact that it hasn't speaks to the power of big pharma, not the efficacy of the drug. Ask your own dentists what they think about Fosamax. If your mothers or grandmothers use Fosamax please suggest to them they discuss continued use with their gerontologists.
As a former Fosamax user, I commend her and her attorney. Fosamax made me very ill. The drug companies and MDs push these drugs on women telling us that they are a miracle cure for low bone density and to never mind the terrible side effects. They are a cash cow for the drug industry. Beware the drug industry and their miracle cures. They are looking out for themselves and their big profits.
As a former Fosamax user, I commend her and her attorney. Fosamax made me very ill. The drug companies and MDs push these drugs on women telling us that they are a miracle cure for low bone density and to never mind the terrible side effects. They are a cash cow for the drug industry. Beware the drug industry and their miracle cures. They are looking out for themselves and their big profits.
Don, a sensible post, at last.
Yes, it is well known that Fosamax causes erosion in the jaw bone. Those of you who blame lawyers for everything, do you really believe a jury of people just like you would award 8 million if there wasn't ample cause? How many people have jawbone erosion from smoking? Big Pharma spends many many times more than 8 mill to persuade doctors to prescribe their drugs through perks, trips, meals, etc plus advertising. Fortunately some of that is now being discouraged and disclosed by AMA and others. Its about time.
Stop and think about all the ads you see on television. Most are medications aren't they? Advertising isn't cheap. These companies are busy developing what makes ongoing money. Drugs like Viagra, antidepressants fill ads because they provide renewable income. These companies are not spending money developing cures, friends. They are more greedy than the poor lawyers that are trying plaintiff cases on contingencies with no pay unless they win. The reason an 8 million dollar award makes news is because it is rare. Pharma has plenty of money to hire attorneys who bill regularly to fight the common man who takes on a giant pharmaceutical who failed their due diligence in bringing a drug to market before thoroughly tested.
Seriously, think about it. Fosamax, Vioxx, Celebrex, Viagra, Cymbalata, etc. etc. Do they CURE anything? No! They are ongoing treatments that force dependency. Vioxx is another bad drug that should never have made it to market. It actually caused heart trouble. Anti-depressants have suicidal warnings. Viagra, well, who needs to hear?
Absolutely, I can tell from your posts that you would award as much as possible to "punish" the evil big pharmaceuticals. That is the problem. The companies are not "rich individuals", they are publicly traded companies that are trying to make a profit for their owners... the stockholders.
No drug is 100% safe for every person. Yet, every time someone has a negative reaction, people like you want the companies to pay. Are they suppose to somehow guarantee that it is perfect for every one?
I agree that they push the "life comforting" drugs too much, especially with all the advertising, but those profits are used to fund research. I take a drug that I'm sure has extended my life. Without the profits from the lesser drugs, research to find the one I take would never have been funded.
If I found that the drug had a negative side affect for me, would I sue? Absolutely not. I believe that they are doing their best for the majority of the people. I don't believe that the pharmas employ evil, mad scientist and heartless bureaucrats that are out to get you. If you do, there is a simple solution. Don't use the drugs they produce.
Suing is for idiots that won't take responsibility for their own lives and actions.
Vioxx wasn't a bad drug at all. They just gave it to the wrong people. It did wonders for a lot of patients. But ... when you study the effects of Vioxx on the cardiovascular system on a specefic group of people PRONE to cardiovascular problems ... SURPRISE!!! You get a study that says Vioxx causes CV problems. It was a sham. They could have kept it with a black box warning against using it in specefic patient populations.
Everyone would like to blame someone else it seems. The general public has NO insight to what goes on behind closed doors at Merck. The general public has NO way of obtaining in-house documentation from Merck (or any other drug company for that matter). Do the research BEFORE you criticize.... that generally helps. Unless you sat through the trial and saw ALL the evidence, maybe you should think (become employed by Merck or research) before you speak.
Smoking isn't good for you.... Eating Big Mac's, fried foods and indulging in other things along those lines isn't good for you, either. Yes, she chose to smoke. Yes, she chose to follow her DOCTOR'S orders. DOCTOR'S are supposed to be schooled on the risk factors for all drugs. They, in turn, tell their patients. They cannot tell them what they are not informed of.
Doctors are in the pockets of the drug companies they sell for. They don't tell of the side effects, because they want the patient to be an easy push-over. I was prescribed Levaquin (an expensive patented antibiotic). I asked the doctor what if any side effects there were. He said none, completely safe and was very enthusiastic about my taking it. A Levaquin brand labeled tissue was box on the counter, which meant to me he was a drug company salesman with a medical license.
Before filling the prescription I searched keywords "Levaquin" and "lawsuit." There was 900,000 hits! I found Levaquin had an FDA Black-box warning because it could cause tendon rupture, psychosis, vision or hearing loss, and other irreversible damages. The doctor seemed to know nothing of this.
When I told the doctor and asked if there was an alternative antibiotic, he said, "If you don't trust me then I can't be your doctor." I "fired" that doctor! The lesson is one shouldn't always trust your doctor. Do your own research because with the amount of money compromising the medical industry, you can't trust the drug companies or the doctors.
if she never smoked, and exercised, she would not have needed anything for her bones. WAKE UP AMERICA, LOSE WEIGHT, EXERCISE AND STOP SMOKING. You can't keep blaming everyone else for your SELF ABUSE of your bodies
If she never smoke and had taken care of herself she would never have needed Fosamax to start with.
WAKE UP AMERICA... Stop blaming everyone for all the harm you do to your own bodies!!
LOOSE WEIGHT, STOP SMOKING and EXERCISE!!!! If you did simply this, you wouldn't need all these medications to start with. take some personal responsibility for your own health for a change!!!