FOSAMAX

Fosamax (Alendronate sodium) is prescribed to treat osteoporosis and paget's disease. It is manufactured by Merck and is a type of drug known as bisophonates. Recently, a medical study revealed a connection between Fosamax and a serious bone disease called Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (ONJ).

A warning was published in the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons whcih prompted the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to issue a warning to health care professionals on September 24, 2004. ONJ in medical terminology means dead (necrosis) and bone (osteo). ONJ is a condition which causes the bone tissue in the jaw to fail to heal after minor trauma, such as a tooth extraction, causes the bone to be exposed. This exposure can eventually lead to infection and fracture which may require long-term antibiotic therapy or surgery to remove the dying bone tissue.