Fosamax (alendronate sodium) is a prescription medicine used to prevent or treat osteoporosis in women after menopause, and to treat osteoporosis in men. Osteoporosis is a medical condition in which the bones become thin and weak and break easily. Osteoporosis may have natural causes or may be found in men and women who have taken corticosteroids.

Fosamax can also be used to treat Paget's disease, a medical condition in which the body replaces healthy bones with weak bones.

Fosamax works by preventing bone breakdown and increasing bone density (thickness) in order to make bone stronger and less likely to break.

Fosamax is a bisphosphonate drug made by Merck and Company, Inc., and was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1999.

Unfortunately, the use of Fosamax can bring about potentially serious side-effects. In some patients, the use of Fosamax has resulted in osteonecrosis of the jaw, also known as "dead jaw." Dead jaw causes all the bones in ones jaw to swell, greatly affecting speech, ability to eat, and swallow. Dead jaw occurs when one tissue in the mouth fails to heal itself, usually after a dental procedure or some kind of oral trauma. Infection may occur, ultimately leading to deterioration and decay of the bone tissue in the jaw.

Symptoms of dead jaw include pain or swelling of the gums, loosening of the teeth, and slow healing of the gum.

The FDA requested that Merck add a label in August of 2004 to warn individuals of potential side effects of the drug. Despite the recommendation from the FDA, Merck did not revise the Fosamax label to include any type of warning about osteonecrosis of the jaw until July 2005 -- almost a year after the FDA's August 2004 report.

If you or a loved one has developed osteonecrosis of the jaw after taking Fosamax, please contact us.