P&G v. Boniva
September 18, 2006 10:39

Boniva is controversy with Proctor and Gamble. This year Proctor & Gamble sued Roche Laboratories claiming that their advertisements for the osteoporosis drug Boniva was false. Proctor & Gamble filed a lawsuit alleging that Boniva advertisements to consumers and doctors falsely claim the drug has been proven to reduce the risk of non spinal fractures. After four days of testimony, the U.S. District Court judge said the claim was unwarranted. In its lawsuit, Proctor & Gamble said that Boniva failed a clinical trial to reduce non spinal fractures in women after three years of treatment, compared with those receiving placebos over the same period.

Women favor Boniva for osteoporosis
September 19, 2006 10:41

(Yahoo) Women with postmenopausal osteoporosis were 25 percent more likely to stay on the once-a-month drug Boniva than the once-a-week Fosamax (alendronate) or (Actonel) risendronate. These results were made known after six months of an ongoing study. The findings were presented at the 28th annual meeting of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

The three medications studied were the drug genre of bisphosphonates, the most frequently prescribed class of medications for the treatment and prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis.

Since osteoporosis is often asymptomatic, a patient's motivation to stay on the drug therapy is difficult. According to Roche Laboratories and GlaxoSmithKline this was seen as a breakthrough for women's bone health.