Imagine this: A woman in her late 50s agrees with her physician that she should take the pharmaceutical product known as alendronate,sold by Merck as Fosamax, to stave off osteoporosis. Shes healthy and believes that she is doing the right thing. Still, about seven years later, she discovers that she has a stress fracture of her right foot. It heals. Maybe she thinks these things happen, even though she is on medication that she expects would stop bone breaks. Then, while taking a step in her own bedroom, she collapses. It turns out that, despite years of taking Fosamax, her right femur her thigh bone is fractured.

Or this: A woman in her mid-50s is on Fosamax, as are so many other women around the world. Nine years after starting the Fosamax regimen, she steps off a van and falls to the ground. Its not the ache that shes been feeling for months in her left leg. Its a left femur fracture. Fosamax for nine years? A femur fracture nonetheless.

Or this: A woman takes Fosamax for five years. She had been noticing some pain in her right thigh for a year or so; in fact, it causes her to begin to limp. Her physician says an x-ray is negative, and that perhaps the problem is fibromyalgia. But then, while taking a step forward, she hears her right leg break. She falls to the ground. An orthopedic surgeon tells her, We dont usually see this type of fracture without trauma.But here, the womans right leg has broken without a car accident or other serious incident. Her thigh bone broke while she was taking a step.

The Fosamax Femur Fracture Study

The cases of these three women are highlighted in an article by Dr. Jennifer P. Schneider for the journal Geriatrics. In this article, Dr. Schneider is discussing what she refers to as evidence on alendronate-fracture risk.In other words, she is reviewing evidence that Fosamax, intended to prevent osteoporosis and bone loss and broken bones, is connected to femur fractures. Fosamax and femur fractures? Apparently so.

And Dr. Schneider should know. As the journal mentions, she is the patient in a related 2006 Geriatrics case report on an apparent Fosamax femur fracture.

Fosmax Femur Fracture Warning

The U.S. government has taken notice. On October 13, 2010, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a femur fracture warning to inform patients and health care providers about the possible risk of femur fractures in patients who take Fosamax and other similar products.

The warning comes too late for the three women highlighted above and for Dr. Schneider. Ultimately, however, it may help prevent further Fosamax femur fractures, and it may help women who have suffered Fosamax femur fractures recover for their pain and for their injuries.

Legal Help for a Fosamax Femur Fracture

If you or a loved one has suffered a Fosamax femur fracture, contact our experienced defective drug lawyers for a no cost evaluation of your legal rights.