Endometriosis is a painful and frustrating medical condition. With endometriosis, the tissue that usually grows on the inside of the uterus, called uterine lining, grows on other parts of the body. It may grow on the outside of the uterus or even on digestive organs, causing inflammation and severe pain.
It often takes years to diagnose endometriosis, and many treatments only help with the pain — not with the underlying cause. Unfortunately, one of the drugs that doctors sometimes recommend for endometriosis could cause serious long-term health concerns.
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist drugs may cause bone density loss
For years, doctors have prescribed gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists like Lupron (leuprolide acetate) for certain reproductive health conditions. They sometimes recommend it for women with endometriosis. They may also offer it to girls whom they believe may start puberty while they are still very young and/or short.
Unfortunately, the drug can produce numerous devastating side effects, not the least of which is a marked loss in bone density. Although researchers have found that certain treatments may limit the loss of bone density while receiving Lupron, many people receive the drug without warning about the consequences or treatment to reduce bone density loss.
Those who have an adverse reaction to a drug may have the right to bring a claim against the manufacturer. When a company fails to disclose known side effects or does not adequately ensure the safety or purity of a medication before releasing it to the public, they may be at least partially liable for the medical consequences of those practices.
Pursuing a product liability claim after you or a loved one has a medical reaction to a defective drug could help you cover the losses you have suffered because of that medication’s impact on your health.