May 18, 2006: Florida Lawsuit Alleges Fosamax Linked to 'Jaw Death'
A national class action lawsuit has been filed against Fosamax maker Merck and Company, Inc., alleging that the company failed to warn Fosamax consumers that the drug causes Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (ONJ) or 'jaw death'. ONJ is a medical condition in which the jawbone partially crumbles and dies. Class representative Linda Secrest alleges that she used Fosamax for five years to treat osteoporosis, and was diagnosed with ONJ in April 2005.