Actonel Lawsuit

What is Actonel?

Actonel, which is composed of Risedronate, is prescribed to prevent and treat osteoporosis (a medical condition where the bones become weak, thin and break easily) in female patients who have undergone menopause. Actonel may also be prescribed to treat osteoporosis in men and women who take glucocorticoids.

Actonel comes in tablet form, both as a stock and a delayed-release pill--the delayed-release version is taken once a week in the morning. All patients should take Actonel exactly as prescribed. Never take more or less of the drug or more frequently than as prescribed by your medical professional.

If taken against prescription instructions, use of Actonel may damage the esophagus or cause sores to form in the mouth. If you experience any severe or persistent Actonel side effects, please contact your healthcare provider or doctor right away.

Actonel Side Effects:

• Actonel side effects include burping, dry mouth and nausea

• Actonel side effects include stomach pain, constipation, diarrhea and bad gas

• Headaches and dizziness are common Actonel side effects

• Weakness or general fatigue is a common Actonel side effect

• Frequent or urgent need to urinate and painful urination are regarded as Actonel side effects

• Back pain and Leg cramps are also common Actonel side effects

Some Actonel side effects are regarded as serious. If you experience any of the following Actonel side effects, please call your doctor immediately before taking your next Actonel pill:

• New or worsening heart burn is classified as a severe Actonel side effect

• Rash, Hives, blisters on skin and itching are classified as severe Actonel side effects

• Painful or swollen gums and loosening of the teeth are deemed severe Actonel side effects

• Dull, aching pain in the groin, hips or thighs are classified as Actonel side effects

• Sensitivity to light, red, swollen or painful eyes are dangerous Actonel side effects

• Hoarseness, twitching, cramps and muscle spasms are deemed severe Actonel side effects

• Dull, aching pain in the hips, thighs or groin are classified as Actonel side effects

• And lastly, if you experience numbness or a heavy feeling in the jaw you should seek immediate medical help.

Actonel side effects may come in other forms. Please contact your doctor if you experience any Actonel side effects. If you experience serious Actonel side effects, you or your doctor should send a report to the United States Food and Drug Administration’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online at http://ww.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch or via the phone at 1-800-332-1088.

Actonel Lawsuits:

Proctor and Gamble, the manufacturer of Actonel, is facing several Actonel lawsuits, filed by patients who experience the aforementioned side effects. Actonel, which as mentioned before is a bisphosphonate, is prone to causing osteonecrosis or dead jawbones—the two primary Actonel side effects that yield Actonel lawsuits.

Actonel lawsuits are filed by patients who experience the aforementioned serious Actonel side effects. Actonel lawsuits seek Actonel settlements to offset the costs associated with pain and suffering, lost wages and medical expenses. To secure an Actonel settlement, the prosecution must prove that their medical condition, injury or illness was a direct result of the medication. Moreover, in their Actonel lawsuit, they must prove that Proctor and Gamble or the prescribing doctor was negligent or not adequate in warning of said side effects.

Can I secure an Actonel Settlement?

Actonel, which is chemically unique from other bisphosphonates, slow down the rate at which bones are dissolved. This mechanism allows Actonel to slow or stop bone loss, increase bone density and reduce the risk of non-spine and spine fractures. In various trials, Actonel side effects were minimal to moderate.

Because of its effectiveness and minimal side effect percentages, Actonel settlements are fairly difficult to attain. That being said, an active Actonel class action lawsuit is still pending, so if you believe that you are entitled to an Actonel settlement because of a jaw bone death or other severe side effect, you can file an Actonel lawsuit with the help of a qualified lawyer.
The bulk of Actonel lawsuits cite a failure to properly warn users of the drug’s life-threatening side effects, particularly jaw bone loss. Proctor and Gamble, because of their inability to properly warn patients and doctors of Actonel side effects, is facing class action Actonel lawsuits.

In addition to jawbone loss, Actonel lawsuits have sought Actonel settlements for esophageal cancer. In September 2010, studies published in the British Medical Journal raised a question concerning a possible link between long-term use of Actonel and cancer of the esophagus. Ultimately the study found that Actonel use increases the risk of developing esophagus cancer, but only by a marginal amount.

Actonel Updates:

In a web guide published by the United States Food and Drug Administration, the government lays out new guidance for the use of all bisphosphonates. The USFDA recommends a three to five year time limit for these drugs until more conclusive data is made available. The same report backed the aforementioned Actonel lawsuits—the use of Actonel increases the risks of atypical bone fractures. The study suggests that this risk increases over time while the overall benefits of the drug simultaneously decrease.

Sources:

1. Bisphosphonates (marketed as Actonel) Information retrieved from http://www.fda.gov/

drugs/drugsafety/postmarketdrugsafetyinformationforpatientsandproviders/ucm101551.htm

2. United States National Library of Medicine "Risedronate" retrieved from:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000178/