Troublesome Advertising
Tuesday, October 31, 2006; Page A20
In the Oct. 10 news story "Report Faults FDA on Drug Safety," the Institute of Medicine suggested banning consumer advertising of newly approved classes of drugs until they have been on the market long enough for any problems to emerge.
It is especially troubling to see television ads for bisphosphonates such as Boniva and Fosamax. Certainly, these medications appear to be useful in treating osteoporosis, but they also appear to have serious risks in an as-yet-unknown percentage of patients. Jawbone infections known as bisphosphonate-associated osteonecrosis (BON) have serious morbidity and mortality issues and are difficult to treat. It is scandalous to allow these drugs to be advertised on television.
RONALD S. BROWN
Arlington
The writer is a professor of oral diagnosis at the Howard University College of Dentistry.
