{"id":353273,"date":"2016-04-04T10:46:47","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T15:46:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/injury\/product-liability\/fosamax.html"},"modified":"2025-09-24T11:53:00","modified_gmt":"2025-09-24T16:53:00","slug":"fosamax","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/product-liability\/fosamax.html","title":{"rendered":"Fosamax: Legal Issues and Research"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Fosamax: Legal Issues and Research<\/h1>\n\n
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\n By Christie Nicholson, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Oni Harton, J.D.<\/a>\n | Last reviewed\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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Fosamax<\/span> has been linked to serious side effects<\/span> like esophageal irritation and osteonecrosis of the jaw<\/span> (ONJ<\/span>). Thousands of patients sued Merck<\/span>, alleging the company failed to warn about these risks, resulting in multimillion-dollar settlements and ongoing litigation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Fosamax<\/span> (alendronate sodium<\/span>) is a drug doctors prescribe for patients with osteoporosis<\/span> and Paget\u2019s disease<\/span> of bone. Paget\u2019s disease<\/span><\/a> is a medical condition in which the body replaces healthy bones with weak ones. Osteoporosis<\/span><\/a>\u00a0is a health condition that weakens bones. It may have natural causes, or patients may develop it from taking corticosteroids.<\/p>\n

The Food and Drug Administration<\/span><\/a>\u00a0(FDA<\/span>) approved Fosamax<\/span> in 1999. Merck<\/span> & Co<\/span>., the manufacturer of the drug, markets the medication primarily to postmenopausal women. Fosamax<\/span> has proven effective in patients suffering from severe bone loss<\/span> and loss of bone density. Still, Fosamax<\/span> has been linked to serious side effects<\/span> such as:<\/p>\n