New osteoporosis medicine service to launch thanks to key philanthropy funding

Thanks to a generous donation by The Wigoder Family Foundation, The Royal Osteoporosis Society has launched a free online service called BoneMed Online. This innovative service will give people with osteoporosis information about the medicine they’ve been prescribed when they need it most. 

Osteoporosis medicines are often taken for many years and thousands of people with osteoporosis have difficulties with decisions about their medicine or practical problems with continuing to take them. That’s where our BoneMed Online service comes in.   

After a 5-minute survey, people receive an online medicine summary and six emails over a year tailored to the medicine they’ve been offered.  Topics covered include:  

• why you’ve been prescribed an osteoporosis medicine 
• how to take your medicine  
• fitting your medicine into your routine  
• possible side effects. 

Our lead volunteers, Sarah Diacono and Janice McKinley, generously gave their time to support the development of BoneMed Online.  

“I felt shocked and unprepared after my diagnosis…I really struggled with taking medication and there was no follow up. I felt that nobody cared…I don't think I would have fallen into that black hole if I had had access to BoneMed Online.” – Janice 

We’ve 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 the programme 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 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.  

Ruth Wakeman, Director of Services, Influencing and Innovation said: 

“We’re delighted to announce BoneMed Online, a vital initiative to provide better support to people recommended osteoporosis medicines. Everyone should be able to the make treatment choices that feel right for them. But many people miss out on the chance to lower their fracture risk because they’re not receiving the information they need. We are hugely grateful to The Honourable Charles and Mrs  Wigoder for enabling us to deliver this innovative programme to get the right medicine support in place for people with osteoporosis” 

Sign up to the new service

Get free resources for healthcare professionals to support signposting to the service: download a digital resource pack and order printed materials.