The research study analyzed the patient records of 12,000 women taking Actonel and 21,000 women taking Fosamax. Researchers found that after 6 months of drug therapy, patients taking Actonel had a 46% lower rate of hip fractures and a 19% lower rate of other types of fractures than patients taking Fosamax. Observations made six months later found that these fracture rates stayed the same in patients who had been taking the drugs for one year.

The authors of the study said that it showed that “patients receiving [Actonel] are better protected from hip and nonvertebral fractures during their first year of therapy than patients receiving [Fosamax].” Researcher Dr. Pierre Delmas said that this conclusion was “consistent with results from randomized clinical trials” conducted before the drug was released.

The higher fracture rates observed in Fosamax users is especially troubling in light of the serious health problems linked with the drug. Some patients taking Fosamax have been diagnosed with a condition called osteonecrosis, also known as jaw necrosis, jaw death or ONJ. In patients who have osteonecrosis, the jawbone gradually decays, rots and then dies. Many patients with osteonecrosis have filed Fosamax lawsuits after they were diagnosed with the condition while taking the drug.