Drug Maker Issues Correction After False Advertising

Following a meeting and warning of the FDA advisory panel, the makers of certain bisphosphonates have begun an ad campaign to correct their FALSE ADVERTISING. Genentech/Roche Group has started running an ad (which you may have seen in the Parade magazine included in your local newspaper) that begins with the following:

"AN IMPORTANT CORRECTION FROM BONIVA FOR WOMEN WITH POSTMENOPAUSAL OSTEOPOROSIS
You may have seen an ad about BONIVA for the treatment and prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis that may have given you the wrong impression. Our ads stated that ‘After one year on BONIVA, 9 out of 10 women stopped and reversed their bone loss.’ The FDA has found that there is not enough evidence to support this statement and wants us to clear up any misunderstanding you may have had about these ads and make sure you have the correct information about BONIVA.”
And here's the part where they finally tell the truth that they had been hiding: "BONIVA has not been proven to stop and reverse bone loss in 9 out of 10 women and is not a cure for postmenopausal osteoporosis.”

It is unfortunate that pharmaceutical companies are able to propogate these sorts of half-truths and lies to the public to try to sell more of their product than their competitors. It is even more unfortunate that the product they are pushing has actually been causing harm to many women. There have been numerous reports of thigh bone fractures and necrosis (decaying) of major joints like hips and jaw bones. For more information on the problems and injuries caused by BONIVA and other bisphosphonates, please see our earlier post entitled Building Bones or Breaking Bones?.

If you would like for us to email you a copy of the ad, along with a copy of the updated medication guide, please feel free to contact us directly.

The lawyers at the Studstill Firm are interested in speaking with individuals who may have taken medications that have caused them to have injuries. While the idea of being involved in a lawsuit may not be appealing to many individuals, a consultation with us about your options is free and confidential. Please feel free to contact one of our products liability injury lawyers in Georgia by calling (478) 745-9002 (in Macon, Georgia) or (229) 686-3500 (in Nashville or Tifton, Georgia) or (229) 244-2908 (in Valdosta, Georgia) to set up an appointment or to discuss your potential case with someone over the phone.

Injury Prevention Goes High Tech

I just read about a cool new app for iPhone and Android phone users that take disaster and emergency preparedness to a new high-tech level. The Georgia Department of Public Health and the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) launched the Ready Georgia app recently. It’s a free interactive app that provides real-time information emergency information on hazards, weather alerts and disease outbreaks in Georgia. During an emergency, the app will deliver alerts and information on what to do during different types of disasters.

During non-emergency times, the Ready Georgia app helps Georgians plan for a range of emergencies. The app can be used to create personal checklists of emergency supplies, make disaster plans for their families, and check flood-risk levels and historic tornado data for their area. The key is to take action to be prepared for different types of disasters long before they happen.

The Ready Georgia app also has “geo-location” technology to determine the app user’s location, and then show the flow of traffic on evacuation maps and the location of nearby shelters. It also provides the locations of FEMA’s disaster recovery centers.

The key to surviving a major disaster in Georgia may very well be the steps you take to be prepared well in advance. This app seems to be a great tool to help you get prepared and then stay informed when the unthinkable happens.

To download the app or for more information, check out the Ready Georgia website.