Tag: legal

Drug Overview: Fosamax Side Effects and Claims

Fosamax Drug Toxic Chemicals

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Drug Overview: Fosamax Side Effects and Claims

Fosamax (also Fosamax Plus D), generic alenronate sodium, is manufactured by Merck. It was approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) in 1995 for the treatment of post-menopausal and steroid-induced osteoporosis and Paget’s disease. Osteoporosis is a condition that can lead to bone loss and increased risks of fractures. In Paget’s disease, bone grows back soft when it is repaired and can result in deformity.
The Fosamax claim is that it increases bone density. Fosamax has been a huge success for Merck, with sales of $2.5 billion in 2003 and $3.2 billion in 2005 (with 22 million prescriptions in the United States).
Fosamax is one of a group of drugs called bisphosphonates that are used in tablet form to treat osteoporosis and Paget’s disease, and intravenously to treat the effects of cancer in bone tissue. Recent studies have linked the use of bisphosphonates with Osteonecrosis of the Jaw(ONJ), which is also called Dead Jaw, Jaw Necrosis, and Bis-Phossy Jaw. See Fosamax Information and Warnings for more information about ONJ as a Fosamax side effect.
Suffered harm from Fosamax? You may have a lawsuit. Click here, for a top rated law firm to evaluate your legal rights.
Check out the following articles for more information about Fosamax, filing a Fosamax lawsuit and finding a Fosamax attorney.
For more information about Fosamax side effects, see Fosamax Side Effects – Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (ONJ)
To find out more about the FDA warning, see Fosamax Side Effects and Risks
For more information about Fosamax updates, see Fosamax Information and Warnings
If you would like to learn more about Fosamax lawsuits, see Fosamax Lawsuits, Litigation & Lawyers
To learn more about Fosamax attorneys and how to find one, see Hiring a Fosamax Attorney and Lawyer
Suffered harm from Fosamax? You may have a lawsuit. Click here, for a top rated law firm to evaluate your legal rights.

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Fosamax Trials Set

Fosamax Trials Set Drug Toxic Chemicals

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Fosamax Trials Set

Three early trials regarding Merck & Company’s osteoporosis drug, Fosamax, have been set for trial. Fosamax users have been diagnosed with osteonecrosis of the jaw, an irreversible and painful condition that destroys bone tissue and hundreds of lawsuits have been filed against the pharmaceutical giant.
Over 600 lawsuits filed
Fosamax has been linked to hundreds of injuries across the nation and more than 600 lawsuits have already been filed against Merck & Company, the drug’s manufacturer. The lawsuits have been consolidated into a multi-district litigation and are centralized in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Three early trials have been set with the first one beginning in August 2009, the second in October 2009 and the third in January 2010. The three cases will be heard by juries and will help to identify the relevant issues concerning all the pending cases. Legal experts say that more lawsuits continue to be filed by women who have been injured by the drug.
What is Fosamax?
Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1995, Fosamax is manufactured by Merck & Company and is prescribed to treat postmenopausal osteoporosis. However, since that time, it has been linked to a deterioration of the jaw bone, known as osteonecrosis, and the FDA required an additional warning to be placed on the label in 2005. It has also been linked to increased rates of irregular heartbeats, or atrial fibrillation, according to the New England Journal of Medicine.
Generic versions approved
Earlier in 2008, the FDA approved generic versions of Fosamax which are now manufactured by Teva Pharmaceuticals USA of Pennsylvania and Barr Laboratories Inc. of New Jersey. The success of these generic equivalents will likely be dependant upon how the hundreds of lawsuits against Merck & Company are resolved.
If you’ve been injured due to Fosamax or any other drug, contact an experienced Fosamax attorney whose practice focuses in this area of law to discuss your situation. Consultations are free, without obligation and strictly confidential.

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Fosamax Linked To Femoral Bone Fractures

Fosamax Linked To Femoral Bone Factures Drug Toxic Chemicals

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Fosamax Linked To Femoral Bone Fractures

Fosamax, Merck’s prescription drug that treats postmenopausal osteoporosis, has been linked to bone fractures by yet another study – leaving patients to question whether the benefits of the drug outweigh its risks.
Cornell University study
Doctors at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University concluded that long term use of Fosamax, also known as bisphosphonate alendronate, increased patients’ risks of femoral fractures – the femur being the large bone that connects the knee to the hip. As part of the study, published in the Journal of Orthopedic Trauma, they looked at 70 patients with an average age of 75 who had femoral fractures that were taking the drug and found an unusual pattern of fractures for those patients who had been taking the drug for five or more years. The research team advised that doctors prescribing the drug should monitor patients’ bone regeneration until further studies can be completed.
Other issues
This is not the first study to link Fosamax to bone issues. The drug, which is supposed to benefit a person’s bones, seems to be doing just the opposite in many of the patients that take it. Approved in 1999, the drug has since been linked to a deterioration of the jaw bone, known as osteonecrosis, and required an additional warning to be placed on the label in 2005. It has also been linked to increased rates of irregular heartbeats, or atrial fibrillation, according to the New England Journal of Medicine. Legal experts say that over 100 lawsuits have already been filed against Merck over Fosamax.
Merck has said that it plans to conduct additional studies on how Fosamax relates to bone fractures and deterioration, but many patients feel as though the company, or the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, should have conducted these studies before the product was put into the marketplace.
If you’ve been injured due to Fosamax or any other drug, contact an attorney whose practice focuses in this area of law to discuss your situation. Consultations are free, without obligation and strictly confidential. To contact a qualified attorney, please click here. We may be able to help.

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What is the Equal Credit Opportunity Act?

equal opportunity credit problems

What is the Equal Credit Opportunity Act?

The Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) is federal law that prohibits creditors from certain forms of discrimination. Age (as long as you are old enough to enter into a legally binding contract), race, color, national origin, gender, marital status, religion, or receipt of public aid may not be used to:

Discourage or prevent you from applying for credit,
Refuse you credit which you otherwise qualify for,
Give you less credit, or credit on terms different from those who have similar credit risks (permissible risk factors include ability to pay, credit record, stability and assets owned)
Deny you credit because you exercised your rights under federal laws such as the Consumer Credit Protection Act, the Fair Credit Billing Act, or the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

A lender is allowed to use a statistically sound scoring system that is derived from empirical data as long as being 62 years or older is not assigned a negative value in the scoring system.

Under ECOA, a creditor is required to notify you within 30 days after you have completed your credit application whether your application has been approved or denied. If credit is denied, the reasons for the declination must be provided or you must be told how to obtain such information.

Violation of ECOA may be redressed by filing a federal lawsuit for the actual damages you have suffered plus punitive damages of up to $10,000.

(Reviewed 10.31.2008)

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Fosamax: Did Merck Downplay the Drug’s Risks?

Fosamax Did Merckdownplay Dangers Defective Products

Fosamax: Did Merck Downplay the Drug’s Risks?

When you see an advertisement for a drug on television or in a magazine, it often claims that the drug is the next best thing since sliced bread – and often has a doctor’s recommendation attached to it. Unfortunately for consumers, those claims and recommendations are sometimes nothing more than marketing ploys. Pharmaceutical giant, Merck & Company, was accused of deceptive marketing practices in connection with its now defunct drug, Vioxx, and agreed to stop those practices as part of a recent settlement. Consumers now wonder whether the company also downplayed the risks associated with its osteoporosis drug Fosamax.
Deceptive marketing practices
After it was discovered that Merck was ghostwriting many of the statements used in marketing materials that should have come from doctors, it was banned from deceptive marketing practices as part of its Vioxx settlement. The pharmaceutical giant is finding itself in similar situations with other drugs such as Vytorin – its cholesterol drug that was supposed to be far better than others, but has been shown to be no better than generics.
Legal experts say that Merck may have also downplayed the risks of Fosamax (alendronate) as well – with big payoffs. According to a study published by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2004, Fosamax was the most commonly dispensed bisphosphonate in the U.S. from 2001-2004 and the total number of prescriptions written in 2004 topped 22 million. Unfortunately, it’s only now that additional information is being discovered about the drug’s dangerous side effects.
Fosamax lawsuits
Legal experts say that over 100 lawsuits have already been filed against Merck over Fosamax. The drug has been linked to a deterioration of the jaw bone known as osteonecrosis and required an additional warning to be placed on the label in 2005. It has also been linked to increased rates of irregular heartbeats, or atrial fibrillation, according to the New England Journal of Medicine.
If you’ve been injured due to Fosamax or any other drug, contact an attorney whose practice focuses in this area of law to discuss your situation. Consultations are free, without obligation and strictly confidential. To contact a qualified attorney, please click here. We may be able to help.

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Fosamax Attorney and Lawyer – How to Hire

Fosamax Lawyer Drug Toxic Chemicals

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Fosamax Attorney and Lawyer – How to Hire

If you have developed Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (ONJ) after taking Fosamax, you may be entitled to recover damages from the manufacturer, distributor, or physician who prescribed the drug for you. To find out if you have a claim, contact a qualified Fosamax attorney who can evaluate your case as soon as possible. All states set time limits for filing lawsuits, including your state. If you don’t file your Fosamax lawsuit within that time limit (called the statute of limitations), you’ll lose any claim you might have had, no matter how serious an injury you have suffered. If you have a good Fosamax lawsuit, your Fosamax lawyer can tell you which parties you should name as defendants and the jurisdiction where you should file your case.
It’s never a good idea to try and handle this kind of litigation on your own or to be represented by an inexperienced attorney. Large pharmaceutical companies like Merck, the manufacturer of Fosamax, have very experienced defense attorneys who know how to conduct pharmaceutical litigation. This is a very specialized area of law where you want to have a knowledgeable and qualified Fosamax attorney representing you.
Suffered harm from Fosamax? You may have a lawsuit. Click here, for a top rated law firm to evaluate your legal rights.
So how do you find an attorney who specializes in this area? You can ask friends and business colleagues for references. If those sources don’t produce a referral, a good place to start looking is AttorneyPages.com, where you’ll find listings for drug liability specialists in your area, or post your case to the free Case Evaluation Form. After posting your case, an experienced law firm that handles Fosamax and similar cases will contact you for a free case evaluation, without any cost or obligation.
Check out the following articles for more information about Fosamax, filing a Fosamax lawsuit and finding a Fosamax attorney.
For more information about Fosamax, see Drug Overview: Fosamax Side Effects and Claims
For more information about Fosamax side effects, see Fosamax Side Effects – Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (ONJ)
To find out more about the FDA warning, see Fosamax Side Effects and Risks
For more information about Fosamax updates, see Fosamax Information and Warnings
If you would like to learn more about Fosamax lawsuits, see Fosamax Lawsuits, Litigation & Lawyers
Suffered harm from Fosamax? You may have a lawsuit. Click here, for a top rated law firm to evaluate your legal rights.

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Fosamax Class Action Lawsuits, Litigation & Lawyers – What You Should Know

Fosamax Lawsuit Drug Toxic Chemicals

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Fosamax Class Action Lawsuits, Litigation & Lawyers – What You Should Know

Fosamax, Merck’s osteoporosis drug, has been linked to Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (ONJ), a degenerative condition of the jawbone. Fosamax, and other similar drugs called bisphosphonates, accumulate in bones, particularly in the jawbone, and inhibit the bone’s natural ability to repair everyday damage.
Several Fosamax lawsuits have already been filed, and many commentators are comparing the Fosamax scandal to the heavy litigation against the same manufacturer, Merck, for its product Vioxx. The lawsuits allege that Merck knew about the potential for ONJ and did not reveal the danger to the public.
One Fosamax lawsuit has been filed by a woman in Naples, Florida, who developed infections in teeth with root canals approximately 6 months after she began taking Fosamax for osteoporosis. The teeth had to be removed and replaced by implants, but osteonecrosis developed and the jawbone in the area became exposed. It’s not yet known whether the bone will recover or have to be removed and new bone grafted.
Suffered harm from Fosamax? You may have a lawsuit. Click here, for a top rated law firm to evaluate your legal rights.
CNN reports that 15 Fosamax cases had been filed by May 2006, but others are expected. The attorney for one woman intends to seek a class action. His client suffered loss of bone in the jaw and some teeth after taking Fosamax for 9 years. Fosamax lawsuits have been filed in Florida, New York, and Tennessee.
Merck denies that Fosamax has been shown to cause ONJ, and argues that people with osteoporosis may just be more likely to develop the condition.
Check out the following articles for more information about Fosamax, filing a Fosamax lawsuit and finding a Fosamax attorney.
For more information about Fosamax, see Drug Overview: Fosamax Side Effects and Claims
For more information about Fosamax side effects, see Fosamax Side Effects – Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (ONJ)
To find out more about the FDA warning, see Fosamax Side Effects and Risks
For more information about Fosamax updates, see Fosamax Information and Warnings
To learn more about Fosamax attorneys and how to find one, see Hiring a Fosamax Attorney and Lawyer
Suffered harm from Fosamax? You may have a lawsuit. Click here, for a top rated law firm to evaluate your legal rights.

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Fosamax Information and Warning

Fosamax Warning Information Drug Toxic Chemicals

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Fosamax Information and Warning

Fosamax, Merck’s osteoporosis and Paget’s disease drug, has been implicated as a cause of Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (ONJ) or Dead Jaw disease. ONJ is caused by the temporary or permanent loss of blood to bone tissue, which causes the tissue in the jawbone to die and the bone to decay. ONJ can also occur when the bone is prevented from replacing itself by the use of drugs like Fosamax. It has been estimated that more than 2,400 Fosamax patients have reported serious jaw problems, including ONJ, since 2001.
Fosamax is one of a group of drugs called bisphosphonates, and the jaw absorbs 10 times as much of a bisphosphonate as other bones in the body. Bisphosphonates prevent normal bone renewal, and the jaw and maxilla need renewal because they receive slight daily injuries from normal use. The continual injury and lack of renewal can lead to bone death.
The risk of bisphosphonate-related ONJ has been linked to the size of the dose, according to Maico Meol, oral surgeon at the Washington Center Hospital in Toronto, Canada. Almost 95% of bisphosphonate-related ONJ cases are related to high doses taken intravenously as chemotherapy. Bisphosphonates have a shelf life of about 12 years and stay in the body. Because they stay in the jawbone in large amounts, experts fear that many bisphosphonate-related ONJ cases will emerge in the future. ONJ is often brought on by invasive dental work, such as extractions, that injure the jawbone, but it sometimes occurs spontaneously.
Suffered harm from Fosamax? You may have a lawsuit. Click here, for a top rated law firm to evaluate your legal rights.
A report was published by Dr. Salvatore Ruggiero, a surgeon at the Long Island Jewish Hospital in 2004. He found bisphosphonate-related ONJ cases in both chemotherapy patients and those being treated from osteoporosis. An article by the head of oral and maxillofacial surgery at the University of Miami, Robert E. Marx, was published an article in the November, 2005 Journal of Oral Maxillofacial Surgery reporting bisphosphonate-related ONJ cases in patients receiving chemotherapy.
Fosamax information indicates that ONJ is a potential Fosamax side effect, particularly for patients who take it for a long period of time.
Check out the following articles for more information about Fosamax, filing a Fosamax lawsuit and finding a Fosamax attorney.
For more information about Fosamax, see Drug Overview: Fosamax Side Effects and Claims
For more information about Fosamax side effects, see Fosamax Side Effects – Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (ONJ)
To find out more about the FDA warning, see Fosamax Side Effects and Risks
If you would like to learn more about Fosamax lawsuits, see Fosamax Lawsuits, Litigation & Lawyers
To learn more about Fosamax attorneys and how to find one, see Hiring a Fosamax Attorney and Lawyer
Suffered harm from Fosamax? You may have a lawsuit. Click here, for a top rated law firm to evaluate your legal rights.

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J&J Fined $4.5M Over Duragesic Patch

J J Fined Over Duragesic Patch Drug Toxic Chemicals

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J&J Fined $4.5M Over Duragesic Patch

A West Virginia judge has fined Johnson & Johnson $4.5 million for intentionally dispensing incorrect information about its Duragesic patches – even after the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) warned the company to stop.
Misleading consumers
According to news reports, Brooke County West Virginia Circuit Judge Martin Gaughan fined pharmaceutical giant, Johnson & Johnson, for continuing to send out brochures on its Duragesic pain patches – even after the FDA warned the company twice that the information contained false or misleading statements. While Johnson & Johnson has said that it will seek a new trial, lawsuits over Duragesic pain patches continue – and jury verdicts are on the rise.
Suffered harm from Duragesic Pain Patch? You may have a lawsuit. Click here, for a top rated law firm to evaluate your legal rights.
Lawsuits & jury verdicts increasing
Legal experts estimate that approximately 60 product liability / wrongful death lawsuits have been filed against Johnson & Johnson over its Duragesic pain patches. Jury verdicts seem to have increased over the past few years as well. In 2006 and 2007, there were two wrongful death jury verdicts that totaled $6.3M. Another verdict for $13.3 million was announced in early 2008 and a second for $16.6 million came down later in the year.
The patches are manufactured by Johnson & Johnson subsidiaries, Janssen Pharmaceutica and ALZA Corporation, and have sales of over a billion dollars per year.
What is a Duragesic pain patch?
Duragesic is the trade name for fentanyl transdermal therapeutic systems, or patches, which are used to provide relief for moderate to severe pain by releasing potent opioids through the skin. Most cases of severe injury or death come from patients overdosing on the product which can be caused by improper prescribing or application. The FDA has issued black box warnings on the product, the most serious warning the FDA can issue, and the companies have instituted several recalls of the product over the past few years.
If you’ve been injured due to a dangerous drug, contact an experienced drug litigation attorney to discuss your situation and evaluate your options. Consultations are free, without obligation and are strictly confidential.

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Duragesic Patch Side Effects – Drug Overdose

Duragestic Patch Side Effects Drug Toxic Chemicals

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Duragesic Patch Side Effects – Drug Overdose

The Duragesic Patch, manufactured by Janssen Pharmaceutical Products, and the generic fentanyl transdermal skin patch manufactured by Mylan Laboratories and Actavis Inc., are drug delivery patches that administer doses of the potent narcotic fentanyl through the skin. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) issued a Public Advisory Warning in July 2005 announcing an investigation into the safety of pain patches after 120 deaths were linked to fentanyl patch use.

Suffered harm from Duragesic Pain Patch? You may have a lawsuit. Click here, for a top rated law firm to evaluate your legal rights.

Fentanyl is a narcotic drug, said to be up to 100 times as strong as morphine, and an overdose can cause death. The symptoms of a fentanyl overdose include:

Trouble breathing or shallow breathing

Loss of consciousness or coma

Seizures

Cold and clammy skin

Small pupils

Tiredness

Extreme sleepiness or sedation

Confusion

Inability to function normally

Faintness

Dizziness

Overdoses of fentanyl that are not fatal can cause damage to the cardiovascular system (bradycardia) and to the central nervous system. Continued exposure to high doses can lead to dependency and narcotic addiction.

If you or a family member have been prescribed a Duragesic or generic pain patch, you should consult with your health care provider about how to avoid overdoses and be very careful not to use damaged patches or old patches that might have been on the recall list for leaking patches.
In 2007 the FDA issued an additional alert about fentanyl patches, giving the following advice: :

The fentanyl patch should only be used by patients who are opioid-tolerant and have chronic pain that is not well controlled with other pain medicines.

Healthcare professionals who prescribe and patients who use the fentanyl patch should be aware of the signs of fentanyl overdose.

Patients prescribed the fentanyl patch should tell their doctor about all the medicines that they take to avoid dangerous interactions.

Patients and their caregivers should be told how to use the fentanyl patch.

Heat may increase the amount of fentanyl that reaches the blood and can cause life-threatening breathing problems and death.

If you use fentanyl patches take them out of the package with protective gloves on and examine them carefully for leaks, flaws, or variations in size. If you have any doubts about a patch, do not use it.

If you or a loved one have been injured or a family member has died after using a Duragesic Patch or generic pain patch, you may be able to recover damages. See Hiring a Duragesic Patch Attorney for information on finding a Duragesic Patch lawyer who can evaluate your case.

Check out the following articles for more information about Duragesic Patch, filing a Duragesic Patch lawsuit and finding a Duragesic Patch attorney.

For more information about Duragesic Patch, see Drug Overview: Duragesic Patch Side Effects and Claims

For more information about Duragesic Patch updates, see Duragesic Patch Information and Warnings

To find out more about the FDA warning, see Duragesic Patch Side Effects and Risks

If you would like to learn more about Duragesic Patch lawsuits, see Duragesic Patch Lawsuits, Litigation & Lawyers

To learn more about Duragesic Patch attorneys and how to find one, see Hiring a Duragesic Patch Attorney and Lawyer

Suffered harm from Duragesic Pain Patch? You may have a lawsuit. Click here, for a top rated law firm to evaluate your legal rights.

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