Claris Law Legal Blogging Community

Editor: Tim O'Brien
Profession: Attorney at Law

Category: Fosamax News

An article recently published in the Journal of Bone & Mineral Research, Fracture Incidence & Characterization in Patients on Osteoporosis Treatment: The ICARO Study, shows that the clinical trials Merck touts overstate the actual benefit conferred by Fosamax in the clinical or practical setting. The article is published in the October 2006 edition of the Journal, at pages 1565-1570.

I found it very curious that there was poor fracture reduction response for patients on Fosamax unless they were also taken Vitamin D and calcium supplements. Could it be that the Vitamin D and calcium supplements are what is helping patients rather than the Fosamax? Studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine show that Vitamin D and calcium supplements, taken by themselves, do have a significant effect on decreasing fractures.

It would be very interesting to see a head-to-head comparison of alendronate (Fosamax) therapy by itself to Vitamin D + calcium supplements to see which one is more effective at reducing fractures.

The attorneys at Levin Papantonio will be examining these questions with Merck over the next several months.