Merck hit with $8 million Fosamax verdict

WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. — Drugmaker Merck & Co. has been hit with an $8 million jury verdict in the case of a Florida woman who says Merck's osteoporosis drug destroyed her jaw bone and caused significant pain.

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Merck says the verdict by a New York jury doesn't match the evidence, so it will challenge the decision.

The case was brought by Shirley Boles of Fort Walton, Fla., who took Merck's Fosamax for about 10 years.

Merck says her dental problems were due to heavy smoking and periodontal disease.

The jury awarded Boles, who is in her early 70s, $8 million in compensatory damages. It was her second trial. The first ended in a mistrial last September.

Merck faces more than 1,400 lawsuits alleging Fosamax harmed patients.