Amgen Lawsuit: What Everybody Should Know

Prolia was first promoted as an osteoporosis treatment by the drugmaker Amgen. Sadly, the drug has caused some unexpected and shocking side effects for consumers. If you or someone you love were given the prescription medication Prolia or has been diagnosed with osteoporosis, here’s everything you need to know about an Amgen lawsuit.

Osteoporosis 101

Osteoporosis is a common condition that diminishes an individual’s bone quality and density over time. Because bones are significantly weaker with this common disease, osteoporosis can leave its sufferers vulnerable to painful, frequent fractures and infections. In fact, bones can become so brittle with osteoporosis that simply bending over or coughing is enough stress to cause a fracture.

As with any health condition, the best outcomes occur when diagnosis and treatment begin in earlier stages. Unfortunately, the disease often goes undiagnosed until a fracture occurs. Osteoporosis has the potential to wage a war so silently that the condition can be fatal if not sufficiently treated. Most fatalities involving osteoporosis happen after fractures turn into deadly infections.

Osteoporosis Treatment

While the condition cannot be cured, the advancement of osteoporosis can be significantly slowed. Treatment for osteoporosis varies depending upon the severity of symptoms and the disease’s stage of progression. Calcium is an easily accessible and proven treatment option to help prevent fast depletion of bone density. Fortunately, the nutrient is found in calcium-rich foods, such as green and leafy vegetables, fish, soy, and dairy.

A few pharmaceutical companies and medical researchers have joined forces to create drugs intended to treat bone loss associated with osteoporosis, including Amgen’s brainchild, Prolia.

What is Prolia?

Prolia is an injection administered bi-annually to those who are experiencing bone loss as a result of osteoporosis. It’s suggested that you should take calcium and vitamin D supplements if receiving Prolia injections.

On the surface, Prolia seems promising, particularly for those fighting certain types of cancer. But for some, it’s a different story altogether. For a few patients, the drug has been proven to cause more problems than it solves.

It is true that most with osteoporosis on Prolia don’t experience side effects, but those who do soon come to regret receiving the medication upon cessation. Well-documented research shows an increased risk of broken vertebrae after taking the medication.

Additional side effects of Prolia cessation can include a raised risk of hip fractures, infections, and other bone problems. In an ideal world, it would seem that drug manufacturers would not want such dangerous drugs on the market. Even though Amgen could not have predicted the negative side effects associated with their prescription medication, Prolia, they are now well aware of the threats.

Due to the infrequent instance of such disastrous side effects, however, Amgen has yet to stop the drug from being distributed. Even worse? The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has also not agreed to a Prolia recall.

What Will Stop the Prolia Problem?

Although Amgen warned Canadian and European consumers regarding the raised risk of fractures, they have yet to share this same warning with patients throughout the United States. Not only have consumers everywhere experienced painful hip, spine, and femur fractures, but American patients have done so without knowing the underlying reason.

Amgen’s spokesperson admits Amgen is fully aware of the issues associated with the medication at this point in time. However, company representatives insist the benefits outweigh all risks associated with the controversial treatment.

The company spokesperson also points out Amgen’s apparent transparency regarding the issues. Consequently, countless Americans have unknowingly suffered the very symptoms that the drug was created to prevent in the first place.

Efforts by the watchdog group, First Citizen, to convince the FDA or Amgen to recall the product have failed. Recalls would give researchers time to identify risk factors for side effects.

A pause in manufacturing would also give Amgen the opportunity to create strategic solutions to the problem. Requests to include warning labels have also proven fruitless, even though it would give the physician’s the opportunity to assess the drug’s benefits compared with its risk.

What can be done if Amgen won’t halt production and if the FDA won’t step in to stop others from suffering the same fate? As things stand today, the official answer is unknown. However, attorneys everywhere are looking into legal options because of Amgen’s possible negligence.

If you’ve taken Prolia, consult with an attorney now to go over all current and future options. Protect yourself and your loved ones and schedule your consultation regarding an Amgen lawsuit today.