Osteoporosis is a common disease where patients are more prone to fractures of hip, spine and other parts owing to bone weakness. On this front, professionals at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have approved of a drug called Boniva for the treatment of osteoporosis.
The team has issued its consent to generic versions of Boniva, also going by the name ibandronate for use among women following menopause. This class of medications aids in restoring bone mass and decreases spinal fracture risks.
“Men as well as women are affected by osteoporosis, a disease that can be prevented and treated. For people who must manage their health conditions over time, it is important to have affordable treatment options,” commented Keith Webber, Ph.D., deputy director of the Office of Pharmaceutical Science in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.
Many clinical trials were devised to gauge the safety and efficacy of the drug. Some of the most reported effects of using it included indigestion, diarrhea, muscle, back and extremity pain. Experts have issued an an FDA-required Medication Guide for patients using ibandronate that presents all the risks and adverse events related to its use.
Some serious side-effects of the medicine are inclusive of depreciating calcium levels in the bloodstream, abnormal thigh bone fractures, muscle or joint pain, esophagus problems, acute jaw bone issues and bone pain. The generic 150 milligram ibandronate pills will be manufactured by Apotex, Orchid Healthcare and Mylan Pharmaceuticals.