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About BoneMed Online
We know thousands of people with osteoporosis have difficulties with decisions about taking their bone strengthening medicine or practical problems with continuing to take them. Many people have told us they feel confused and uncertain and many enquiries to our specialist nurse helpline are from people looking for help with understanding their medicine. That’s why we have launched a new online service this spring called BoneMed Online. It gives people with osteoporosis information about their medicine when they need it most.
Start your free BoneMed Online
Why do I need BoneMed Online?
Osteoporosis medicines are often taken for many years. It can be hard to find answers to the questions or concerns that come up over this time. That’s where our BoneMed Online service comes in.
BoneMed Online provides information tailored to your medicine including:
• why you’ve been prescribed an osteoporosis medicine
• how to take your medicine
• fitting your medicine into your routine
• possible side effects.
What is involved?
To get tailored information about your osteoporosis medicine, we'll ask you to complete a short survey. It only takes five minutes to complete. We'll also ask for your email address to start you on your BoneMed Online journey.
Once you complete the survey, you will get a tailored medicine summary. Your medicine summary is filled with information and videos about your medicine. We will also send a link to your medicine summary by email so you can read it at any time.
After this, we will send you a series of five more emails over the course of a year. These emails will contain lots of practical tips and information about your medicine and how to look after your bones.
Is BoneMed Online for me?
BoneMed Online is for you if you’re starting, taking, or changing osteoporosis medicines. If a healthcare professional hasn’t recommended an osteoporosis medicine for you, this service isn’t suitable for you at this stage. If you start taking an osteoporosis medicine in future, please do return to BoneMed Online. For more useful information and support about osteoporosis medicines, follow this link here.
BoneMed Online is aimed at UK residents. This is because our information reflects UK based health care which may not be appropriate for people living overseas. For information about overseas organisations who may be better placed to help you, please click here.
Who was involved in the development of BoneMed Online?
We are hugely grateful to The Wigoder Family Foundation. It’s thanks to their generous support and vision that we’ve been able to develop this innovative service to empower people to make informed decisions about their osteoporosis medicine.
We’ve also been excited to have Keele University on board as our academic advisor. They’ve generously supported us with insights from their studies into improving uptake of Fracture Prevention drug treatments (iFraP) and worked with us to ensure BoneMed Online complements Osteoporosis Options, Keele’s suite of tools that help patients and clinicians make shared decisions about osteoporosis medicines. We are also grateful to Professor Rob Horne from University College London whose research informed our approach and to Personia Health Ltd, a UCL Business Company, for sharing their work with us on how to help people take their medicines more effectively.
How can I find a medicine that's right for me?
Further Information
What is it and how does it work?
BoneMed Online is a supportive online medicine information service provided over a year. You tell us what osteoporosis medicine you have been prescribed. We also ask whether you have any concerns or questions so we can tailor the information you receive to match your needs. You then receive a tailored medicine information summary by email. We’ll also get back in touch by email five more times over the course of year to provide you with ongoing support and information about your medicines and bone health.
How will it help me?
Our volunteers have told us this service would have helped them to feel more informed and confident about taking their osteoporosis medicine. Getting a better understanding about the benefits of the medicines as well as addressing any concerns about side effects and practical problems is central to this service.
What kind of information will I get?
The information you get will be specific to the medicine you have been prescribed. We have created information in different formats - short films, animations as well as text to read. You will be able to save these resources to refer to later.
Does it cost anything to use?
The service is free and will not require any payment. There will be information signposting you to other free support services from the Royal Osteoporosis Society throughout your email journey. We will also signpost you to our paid membership offer, but whether you choose to sign up is completely up to you.
Is it easy to use?
We’ve worked with experts and people with osteoporosis to design a service that is simple and easy to use.
Will it tell me about the medicine I am on?
Yes. The service is tailored around which medicine your doctor has prescribed you. However, it won’t replace the advice from your medical professional and the instructions included in the medicine box.
Will it tell me about side effects?
Yes. BoneMed Online is a service that provides information and support about your osteoporosis medicine and some of the possible side effects and how common they are.
What if the medicine I’m prescribed changes?
We recommend you complete the survey again to change your medicine type. We can then make sure you get the information you need.
How was BoneMed Online developed?
Our health information is written by our health information team and is reviewed by healthcare professionals and people living with osteoporosis. We make every reasonable effort to ensure the information is accurate and up-to-date.
How will you use my data and information?
We use the personal data you provide us in the initial survey to tailor the information you receive as part of the BoneMed Online service. We also want to ensure we reach everyone who needs our help so, we use some of the details you give us to support the evaluation of the service. But only if you have given us your consent. To find out more, please refer to our Your Information page.
Have people with osteoporosis been involved in the development of BoneMed Online?
Yes. We’ve developed this service in collaboration with our volunteers living with osteoporosis. Two volunteers sit on the group that has overseen the development of BoneMed Online and others have participated in user testing to help shape the service.
