Salt Lake Tribune, "Fosamax lawsuit brings risks to light"

          Pamela Hines went from an active lifestyle of running five miles a day and working full-time to being unable to eat most foods and feeling constant pain. The 52-year-old Sandy woman was diagnosed last year with osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ), a disfiguring condition that leads to the breakdown of the jawbone and loss of teeth. After having a tooth extracted, she became deeply concerned when her mouth failed to heal. After visiting several doctors, one told her she might have ONJ - and that it could be linked to her taking the popular osteoporosis drug Fosamax, for stronger bones.
          Once she learned other dental patients who took Fosamax were suing the drug maker, Merck & Co., she joined a class-action lawsuit. In January 2005, the FDA recommended Merck change Fosamax's label to include ONJ warnings. The company revised its packaging information in July. The drug is one of Merck's best sellers, with $3.2 billion in sales and 22.4 million prescriptions written in 2005.