FDA Adds Warning to Biophospnates on 2 types femur

Posted by Phillipa on October 13, 2010, at 20:00:11 [reposted on October 28, 2010, at 23:58:58 | original URL]

Two types of fractures. Affects all the biophosphinates. Glad to see the FDA finally stepped in. Phillipa
FDA Adds Femur Fracture Warning to Bisphosphonate Labels
Robert Lowes
Authors and Disclosures
Posted: 10/13/2010

October 13, 2010 Bisphosphonates approved for the treatment of osteoporosis will now bear a label warning about the risk for 2 types of atypical femur fractures, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced today.
One type of break, subtrochanteric femur fracture, occurs just below the hip joint. Another type, diaphyseal femur fracture, is in the long part of the bone. Both are very uncommon, accounting for less than 1% of all hip and femur fractures overall, according to the agency.

Risedronate sodium, alendronate
The FDA's decision to add a warning about the fractures to the labels of bisphosphonates comes in the wake of a recommendation to do so by a task force of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research. In a report released last month, the task force said that of 310 cases of atypical femur fractures under study, 94% of the patients had been taking bisphosphonates, most for more than 5 years. The task force stopped short of declaring that the medications cause the fractures.
The label change applies only to bisphosphonates approved for osteoporosis such as alendronate (Fosamax; Merck) and risedronate sodium (Actonel; Proctor & Gamble Pharmaceuticals). Bisphosphonates approved for the treatment of Paget's disease and high blood calcium levels caused by cancer are unaffected.
More information about today's announcement is available on the FDA's Web site.
To report adverse events related to bisphosphonates, contact MedWatch, the FDA's safety information and adverse event reporting program, by telephone at 1-800-FDA-1088, by fax at 1-800-FDA-0178, online at http://www.fda.gov/medwatch, or by mail to MedWatch, FDA, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20852-9787.

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FDA Adds Warning to Biophospnates on 2 types femur Phillipa 10/28/10
Re: FDA Adds Warning to Biophospnates on 2 types femur ed_uk2010 10/28/10
Re: FDA Adds Warning to Biophospnates on 2 types femur » ed_uk2010 49er 10/31/10

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