News tagged with 'Actonel'

While a new study reassures patients who take bone-building drugs to treat osteoporosis, a recent study indicates that the quality of bone among users may be brittle. The latest study is sponsored by drug makers, Merck and Novartis.

The FDA responds to Fosamax studies warning of brittle bones with prolonged use.

The first trial accusing Merck of withholding information on the dangers of osteoporosis drug, Fosamax, has ended in a mistrial after Juror No. 5 says she was intimidated and threatened by the other seven jurors for siding with the plaintiff.

It is a drug that appears to return the bone building process in the elderly to that of  a young persons. Forteo, by Eli Lilly, reduced the healing time from a difficult and painful pelvic fracture by half, say University of Rochester Medical Center researchers. The drug could save money and lives.   

Previous studies had indicated that the risk of developing a jaw condition, ONJ, or osteonecrosis of the jaw that loosens teeth and softens bone, was negligible. A new study suggests the jaw condition might be more common than previously thought. 

Bisphosphonates, are a class of drug used to treat osteoporosis that slows or stops the reabsorption of bone, which are being linked to a condition in which jawbone tissue dies.

In yet another study, Fosamax is linked to the risk of developing atrial fibrillation, an irregular heart beat. But researchers conclude that the benefits of drugs in this class that fight the ravages of osteoporosis, outweigh the risks.