Many people may have some doubt about the link between bisphosponates and femur fracture because they believe the manufacturer would surely make a stronger warning of the risk for such a major side effect, even if it was only a small risk. To them, I say, read about Ford and the Pinto gas tanks in the 1970's. You can find the story in almost any business ethics book. Ford's attorneys knew a certain number of consumers would be burned alive in rear end tank ruptures, but concluded that from a business standpoint, it was cheaper to settle with survivors and their families than to recall the Pinto.
I'm admittedly a skeptic about these things, but my hunch is that the Fosamax fracture link will be stronger than the Vioxx heart attack/stroke link, but the current lack of clear causal link and the potential exposure are such that the manufacturers can hunker down and wait to see what happens.
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Many people may have some doubt about the link between bisphosponates and femur fracture because they believe the manufacturer would surely make a stronger warning of the risk for such a major side effect, even if it was only a small risk. To them, I say, read about Ford and the Pinto gas tanks in the 1970's. You can find the story in almost any business ethics book. Ford's attorneys knew a certain number of consumers would be burned alive in rear end tank ruptures, but concluded that from a business standpoint, it was cheaper to settle with survivors and their families than to recall the Pinto.
I'm admittedly a skeptic about these things, but my hunch is that the Fosamax fracture link will be stronger than the Vioxx heart attack/stroke link, but the current lack of clear causal link and the potential exposure are such that the manufacturers can hunker down and wait to see what happens.
March 25, 2010 - 1:09pmThis Comment
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