Florida Bisphosphonates Attorneys

SEARCY DENNEY ATTORNEYS FIGHT FOR JUSTICE FOR VICTIMS SUFFERING SEVERE JAW DAMAGE CAUSED BY BONE DENSITY DRUGS

Millions of post-menopausal women have welcomed the class of drugs called bisphosphonates, which increase bone density by slowing the body’s natural turnover of bone cells. Bisphosphonates also are widely used by patients whose cancer has spread to their bones, and by people who have a progressive bone disease called Paget’s disease.

Hollywood celebrities paint a pretty picture in television commercials touting the wonders of bisphosphonate brand names such as Fosamax and Boniva. But there is a darker side to these drugs that can include grievous pain and suffering and long-term disability.

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At Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley, we have hands-on experience with clients devastated by bisphosphonates. That’s why we want you to know more about the dangers:

  • Popular bisphosphonates include Fosamax (Merck), Boniva (Roche Laboratories/Glaxo SmithKline), Actonel (Sanofi-Aventis/Procter & Gamble), Bonefos (Schering), Didronel (OSG Norwich/Procter & Gamble), Aredia (Novartis), Zometa (Novartis), and Skelid (Sanofi-Synthelabo). The drugs are taken in pill form or administered through IV therapy.
  • All of these drugs have been linked with osteonecrosis – jaw bone death or “bisphossy” jaw – which causes serious infections, swelling of the face, and tooth loss. Since 2001, more than 2,400 cases of jaw bone death have been associated with Fosamax alone.
  • Patients taking corticosteroids along with current or past use of a bisphosphonate drug who are having teeth extractions, implants, or other dental procedures may be at the highest risk for osteonecrosis, and should inform their dentist and physician of current or any past use of these drugs.
  • The jaw is especially vulnerable to osteonecrosis because it absorbs about ten times more bisphosphonate than the body’s other bones. Some of the symptoms of jaw osteonecrosis are exposed bone, pain and swelling, serious infections, altered sensation, and numbness.
  • These conditions require extensive antibiotic therapy and/or surgery, often resulting in long-term disability. Even if a patient stops taking the bisphosphonate drug, it can remain in bony tissues for as long as twelve years after it is discontinued.

Contact us for more information and a free consultation with an experienced Florida bone density drugs lawyer.

If you or a family member has taken bisphosphonates (Fosamax, Boniva, Actonel, Bonefos, Didronel, Aredia, Zometa, or Skelid) and is experiencing the pain and suffering of osteonecrosis, the law firm of Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley has the experience and the resources to help you seek justice. Please fill out our contact form, or call us to learn more and arrange for a confidential free consultation.

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