So a few weeks ago, I heard about some Fosamax litigation pending, and I started seeing the influx of reports of people claiming their jaws were literally rotting off. I can't attest that I've seen any of this first-hand, but I do know this is a second drug from Merck that appears to be riddled in litigation recently. I also found out my mom was on the drug, like many other older women.

Unfortunately for Merck, whereas Vioxx was a drug for older people in pain (who tend to die for whatever reason -- including heart attacks), Fosamax is prescribed to many otherwise healthy women for osteoporosis. And normally their jaws don't just rot off. This adds a monkeywrench into the equation for Merck, as they cannot assert that all these people who claim that their jaws are falling apart have the symptoms as a result of old age or some other cause. It's a signature symptom.

I expect lots of noise on the subject pretty soon ... just when Vioxx was getting interesting, too. Oh yeah, my mom won't be taking this drug anymore.