Philadelphia Injury Lawyer Blog

For years, Accutane (generic: iSotretinoin) was being prescribed as a “drug of choice” for such diverse conditions as cancer and acne. Although approved by the FDA, a flood of lawsuits and verdicts in favor of victims aggregating in the tens of millions of dollars, caused the manufacturer Roche Holding AG to issue a recall alert on June 26, 2009. These lawsuits maintained that the drug was directly related to bowel disease.

The Philadelphia drug injury lawyers at Pomerantz Perlberger & Lewis have long taken on prescription drug companies for the harm caused by victims who were taking them for their prescribed purposes only to find that they were being harmed, sometimes fatally. Settlements and verdicts have been reached against these giant corporations all the while asserting that their drugs were safe.

What kind of signature diseases and conditions are known to be associated with the use of Accutane? Most commonly successful claims have been maintained for plaintiffs who suffered drug-induced ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s Disease and other inflammatory bowel disorders. Although these conditions can be treated successfully in cases of mild or moderate disease, they are, in advanced form, life-threatening. Other related side effects that may be actionable include birth or growth defects, bone and muscle loss, central nervous and cardiovascular diseases, pancreatitis, lupus and thyroid disorders.

Continue reading " BOWEL DISEASE AND ACCUTANE " »

In the past few weeks, our Fosamax femur fracture lawyers have been writing feverishly about the increasing awareness of the public regarding the devastating effects of taking Fosamax (or its generic counterparts, e.g., those manufactured by Teva Pharmaceuticals) over a long period of time. Touted as a wonder drug for the prevention or retardation of osteoporosis (especially in pre- and post-menopausal women), it turns out that scores of women have already reported in medical centers, located in the United States and Canada, that they have sustained low energy fractures of their femur bones, snapping with little or no activity. Merck, the manufacturer of Fosamax, which held an exclusive patent on the formulation until 2008, denies that there is any link.

ABC News and Good Morning America (as well as several other local and regional news agencies) have now reported the concern that these terrible effects may occur from the use of Fosamax. Met with such reports the FDA is investigating whether doctors and the public should be warned by Merck. In the most recent report aired on March 9, 2010, Dr. Richard Besser advised women who are taking Fosamax or generic alendronate, who begin experiencing pain in their thigh to see their doctors immediately. A complete fracture may be around the corner. Even in the absence of such a warning sign, they should ask their doctors if they should remain on Fosamax. A link to the Good Morning America show may be found at:

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/OnCall/video/fosamax-linked-fractures-bones-10049562?tab=9482931§ion=1206835&playlist=1363742

Continue reading " FOSAMAX FEMUR INJURIES - DON’T WAIT UNTIL IT BREAKS " »

Last night, Diane Sawyer on ABC News continued her investigation into the causal link between Fosamax and femur fractures. A video of her follow-up report can
be viewed by linking onto:

http://abcnews.go.com/WN/WorldNews/osteoporosis-drugs-fosamax-increase-risk-broken-bones-women/story?id=10044066

This story, coupled with the one Ms. Sawyer did the night before, is beginning to alert the nation about the horrific incidence of femur fractures occurring without trauma in such insignificant motions as getting up from a sitting position. Being one of the strongest bones in your body, the fact that bones become so brittle and weak can simply snap has raised the concern that Fosamax, designed to make bones stronger, over time has the opposite effect.

There is also a news report on Good Morning America:

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/OnCall/video/fosamax-linked-fractures-bones-10049562?tab=9482931§ion=1206835&playlist=1363742

Merck continues to deny liability and the FDA will not send out warnings as of yet, but assert that they “are looking into it.”

For several years, the Fosamax Femur Fracture lawyers at Pomerantz Perlberger & Lewis have been in the forefront of litigation against Merck representing women who have suffered femur fractures from the use of Fosamax.

If you go to our special Fosamax Litigation page on our website, you will find copies of one of our complaints, key medical articles and other resources to inform you.

Continue reading " DIANE SAWYER – ENCORE ON FOSAMAX FEMUR FRACTURES " »

For several years, the Philadelphia product liability lawyers at Pomerantz Perlberger & Lewis have been waging a legal battle against the giant drug company, Merck, that makes and distributes its product, Fosamax. The FDA approved this drug years ago for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis and other bone disorders, which conditions arise most prevalently in women over the age of 50. Unfortunately, as was discovered by Dr. Jennifer P. Schneider, who was a lecturer advocating the use of this product and had used it herself for a prolonged period of time with tragic consequences, the formulation of this drug created an increased risk of suffering femur fractures. Our Fosamax Femur Fracture webpage has a featured link to Dr. Schneider’s article appearing in the peer review journal known as Geriatrics reproduced in full.

Merck denies any causal connection between Fosamax and femur fractures and has been fighting the cases we have brought. Gladly, the print and television media has now begun exposing the incidents of such fractures in women using Fosamax over a long period of time. One noted Washington physician, Dr. Robert Bunning, after seeing the stark evidence of this rare fracture (where no catastrophic trauma can be implicated) appearing in patients who had been taking Fosamax over a prolonged period of time, gave an interview that was televised on local TV. Yesterday, on March 8, 2010, Diane Sawyer of ABC News reported this issue over its TV network. A link to this report can be found at:

http://abcnews.go.com/WN/WorldNews/osteoporosis-drugs-fosamax-increase-risk-broken-bones-women/story?id=10044066

Continue reading " FOSAMAX FEMUR FRACTURES – TV EXPOSE’ " »

The Philadelphia injury lawyers of Pomerantz Perlberger & Lewis were successful in removing a Fosamax Femur Fracture case from the Multi District litigation that involves osteonecrosis of the jaw or ONJ. United States District Judge, John F. Keenan agreed in his Order of November 20, 2009 (With a temporary stay of the remand Order lifted on December 1, 2009) in Molnar v. Merck & Co., Inc., that "evidence of general causation relating to fractures of the femur and hip would be substantially different than the material already obtained through discovery related to ONJ." Judge Keenan remanded the Molnar femur fracture case to the District of New Jersey.

Our Fosamax Femur Fracture Product Liability lawyers have already filed three other actions in the District of New Jersey and are preparing other actions to be filed. We are in the process of having these Fosamax cases consolidated. Unfortunately many woman who have been on long term treatment to prevent or to treat osteoporosis with Merck's compound alendronate (Fosamax) have suffered low energy fracturing of their femur and have had to undergo intramedullary rodding surgery. Often, however the condition caused by the long term use of Fosamax prevents adequate healing leading to further surgeries and long term need for a wheelchair.

Our Fosamax Femur fracture attorneys have alleged on behalf of our clients that:

"It is believed and therefore averred that Merck knew or should have known and failed to warn that long term use of Fosamax was unsafe because it could cause low energy femur fractures of the type that plaintiff suffered."

"Merck, particularly with its heightened knowledge and experience, knew or should have known that long term use of bisphosphonates, including Fosamax, could inhibit the production of new bone cells (osteoblasts) and therefore would prevent repair of naturally occurring micro fractures in the femur which could lead to serious low energy femur fractures, and/or that prolonged suppression of bone remodeling with Fosamax could lead to serious low energy femur fractures; and that femur fractures caused by long term Fosamax use could occur despite the apparent absence of sufficient trauma."

Continue reading " FOSAMAX FEMUR FRACTURE LAWSUIT REMOVED FROM MULTI DISTRICT FOSAMAX LITIGATION " »