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Adoption of innovation is essential to the future of osteoporosis care

eCMSadmin — Fri, 11 Sep 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Adoption of innovation is essential to the future of osteoporosis care

Scott Fleming, Global Communications & Company Reputation

eCMSadmin Fri 11/09/2020 - 02:00

This year’s American Society of Bone Mineral Research (ASBMR) annual congress takes place on 11-15 September. Despite taking the virtual stage, ASBMR remains to be a prominent centre point for the latest clinical and scientific developments in bone health. That is why we are excited to be taking part in this year’s congress, connecting with the osteoporosis community and hearing about the latest advances in bone health from around the world.

We believe that ongoing research is essential to keep the field moving toward optimal osteoporosis management and fracture prevention, but how much progress has been made with recent innovation in osteoporosis? A few years ago, we saw a welcome shift in the way osteoporosis is managed with the implementation of the Fracture Liaison Service (FLS). Best practices like the FLS have already undergone rigorous improvement over time, and their benefit is already widely acknowledged. More uptake of these services will provide solutions to the disconnect between patient and healthcare professional.

In addition to best practice processes like an FLS program, patients and physicians alike could benefit from a more individualized approach to treating and monitoring osteoporosis and fracture risk. In recent years, working groups and expert consensuses have expressed the potential benefit of a treat-to-target strategy to reduce the risk of fragility fractures. We can learn from other therapeutic areas which have benefited from a disease-specific treat-to-target approach to individualise the treatment of each patient based on their probability of reaching a treatment goal. These groups have commented that progress toward reaching the patient’s goal would include periodic and systematic assessment.

For physicians and their patients with osteoporosis, this could open up a new and refined approach to use existing therapies. Ideally, using biomarkers that are reliable, easily measured and cost effective and setting targets that are realistic, adaptable and have evidence of the benefits, could result in a strategy to help reduce fragility fracture risk while providing important near-term feedback to patients that their treatment is making a difference.

ASBMR will see the sharing of the latest clinical and scientific developments in bone health but we need health systems and policy makers involved in bringing these innovations to life, ensuring osteoporosis is no longer overlooked and under prioritised. Tried and tested services such as the FLS should be implemented as widely as possible, new treatment approaches should be considered and corporations and healthcare systems should invest in treatments, processes and devices, all with patients’ needs at the forefront to make innovation happen within osteoporosis.

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Osteoporosis care: bringing innovation to those that will benefit the most

eCMSadmin — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Osteoporosis care: bringing innovation to those that will benefit the most

Scott Fleming, Global Communications & Company Reputation

eCMSadmin Mon 06/04/2020 - 02:00

Innovation drives our search for new therapies that bring value to patients. However, for innovative treatments to have maximum impact on patient care, they must be readily available to those who need them most.

In the third of a series of thought leader articles by ��ֳ� personnel, in partnership with the Health Europa journal, we look at the adoption of innovation in osteoporosis care and management. Our goal is to ensure that the needs of the growing number of people at risk of fractures are highlighted.

Consider the fact: almost half of patients who suffer an osteoporotic hip fracture have experienced a previous osteoporotic fracture, but most of these patients did not receive treatment that could have reduced their risk of hip fracture. This represents a significant missed opportunity to prevent painful broken bones that can impact quality of life.

Innovation should focus on early diagnosis and prevention of future fractures; too many patients remain undiagnosed and untreated today, disconnected from the healthcare professionals who can help manage their disease, meaning they remain at risk of fractures that can lead to disability, loss of quality of life, and premature death.

The risk of fragility fractures rises with age, making osteoporosis care a priority for the future. As populations age, it will become increasingly important to ensure that older people have access to the services and care they need to stay healthy.

Some healthcare professionals are concerned by the level of access to innovation in osteoporosis. Research conducted by ��ֳ�, showed that over a quarter (28%) of bone specialists rated the level of innovation in osteoporosis as below average or poor and, they agreed that health systems are not doing enough to support. If we continue on this path, millions of people risk missing out on an acceptable quality of later life as they age. Ageing is inevitable, but how we age is not.

Of course, innovation is not all about new therapies or technologies. Innovative models of service delivery play a vital role in fracture prevention. A few years ago, we saw a welcome shift in the way osteoporosis is managed with the implementation of the Fracture Liaison Service (FLS). Best practices like the FLS have already undergone rigorous improvement over time, and their benefit is already widely acknowledged. More uptake of these services will provide solutions to the disconnect between patient and healthcare professional.

In addition to best practice processes like an FLS program, patients and physicians alike could benefit from a more individualized approach to treating and monitoring osteoporosis and fracture risk. The availability of reliable biomarkers also promises to make fracture prevention more effective and personal.

Looking ahead, using artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to analyse bone scans could help to identify patients susceptible to future fractures and lead to more effective clinical intervention, ultimately driving towards reducing the co-morbidities associated with osteoporosis.

For our part, ��ֳ� is working to advance osteoporosis management and fracture prevention. We will continue to strive to deliver value to patients by developing new therapies and embracing the latest technologies. It is vital that patients have access to these new tools if we are to tackle healthy ageing together.

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Living longer with osteoporosis: managing fractures to protect quality of life

eCMSadmin — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Living longer with osteoporosis: managing fractures to protect quality of life

Scott Fleming, Global Communications & Company Reputation

eCMSadmin Fri 13/03/2020 - 01:00

Good news – more people are living longer lives. This can increase the risk of age-related conditions including osteoporosis. That’s why it’s time to do more to identify and manage those at risk of fragility fractures.

In the second of a series of thought leader articles by ��ֳ� personnel, in partnership with the Health Europa journal, we look at the future of fracture prevention. It is a challenge that has evolved in recent decades as life expectancy has risen.

Between 2015 and 2030, the number of people in the world aged 60 years or over is projected to grow by 56 percent to 1.4 billion. By 2050, the global population of older people is projected to more than double its 2015 size, reaching nearly 2.1 billion.

This has significant implications age related conditions such as osteoporosis and fragility fractures. According to the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF), the increase in fragility fracture incidence across six European countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the UK) alone between 2017 and 2030 is estimated at 23 percent.

These fragility fractures have the potential to impose a significant burden on a person’s life, often making everyday activities such as eating, dressing, shopping or driving difficult. Those that suffer a hip fracture face reduced mobility, disability and loss of independence. In addition to the human cost, fragility fractures cost health systems in the European Union €37 billion in 2010 and based on demographic changes, costs are predicted to double by 2050.

Treat-to-target

One way to enhance and individualise the care of patients with osteoporosis would be a treat-to-target approach much in the same way that people with diabetes are often set an HbA1c target. Patients should be educated on their current disease status, in addition to being informed on future risks and their implications, at the time of diagnosis.

Additionally, Fracture liaison services (FLS) have been shown to reduce the frequency of subsequent fractures, improve adherence to treatment and provide cost savings when correctly implemented. But action is needed such that the care that FLS afford become the standard.

Ultimately, greater prioritisation needs to be given to osteoporosis identification, education and management. We hope that with an increase in investment for osteoporosis and fragility research, innovation and education, we can collectively tackle the issues faced by those living with the conditions and support those HCPs who play a vital role in the patients’ journey in order to allow them to age healthily.

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IOF International Osteoporosis Foundation Health Europa fragility fracture FLS bone

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Innovative osteoporosis services: tackling treatment gaps in patient care

eCMSadmin — Fri, 07 Feb 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Innovative osteoporosis services: tackling treatment gaps in patient care

Scott Fleming, Global Communications & Company Reputation

eCMSadmin Fri 07/02/2020 - 01:00

People with osteoporosis are at risk of fractures which can have a major impact on quality of life. Following a hip fracture, 40% of people cannot walk independently and 80% cannot perform basic tasks such as shopping on their own.

To reduce the negative impact of fractures, Fracture Liaison Services (FLS) were introduced in the UK in the 1990s and are now offered in more than 35 countries. With demand for osteoporosis care rising as populations age, now is a good time to reflect on how the FLS model has changed patient care. In the first of a series of thought leader articles by ��ֳ� personnel, in partnership with the Health Europa journal, we look at the future of fracture prevention.

On the whole, the introduction of FLS has ushered in a period of significant progress in osteoporosis management. By coordinating care among multiple players, the frequency of subsequent fractures has been reduced and adherence to treatment has improved. The FLS approach also delivers cost savings – a vital feature of future osteoporosis services given the need for achieving sustainability while maintaining quality.

However, there is still room for improvement. Patient understanding of fracture risks can be low, with some attributing fractures to environment risks, random events or ageing. Healthcare professionals sometimes tend to take a passive approach to managing at-risk patients, rather than proactively engaging with women aged over 60, for example.

Awareness of, and referral to, FLS is also suboptimal. If patients with fragility fractures are not referred to FLS or secondary care setting, their risk of subsequent fractures is higher. Addressing this treatment gap is vital to reducing the burden on individuals and health systems.

Greater public awareness of fragility fractures and their warning signs will go some way to raising these issues to national and global discussion. As we approach the 20th anniversary of the FLS, it’s time to reflect on the achievements made to date but also to reinvigorate our collective commitment to patients, helping to protect them from future fractures and so make their first fracture, their last fracture.

For ��ֳ�, contributing our expertise to this important debate is an important part of our efforts to improve the lives of people affected by osteoporosis.

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Adoption of innovation is essential to the future of osteoporosis care

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Osteoporosis care: bringing innovation to those that will benefit the most

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Living longer with osteoporosis: managing fractures to protect quality of life

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Innovative osteoporosis services: tackling treatment gaps in patient care

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