New research funding awarded to build the case for world-first screening programme for fracture prevention

Osteoporosis is one of the most urgent public health challenges facing the UK today.  

Osteoporosis affects over 3.5 million people in the UK¹  – roughly the same as the populations of Birmingham, Liverpool, Nottingham, Leeds and Cardiff put together!  

People who have had one broken bone (fracture) due to osteoporosis are at a two- to three-fold greater risk of another². Fractures are the fourth leading cause of disability and premature death in the UK. Too often, broken bones mean broken lives³.  

But this doesn’t have to be the case. We know that with early diagnosis and intervention, someone’s fracture risk can be significantly reduced. That’s why the Royal Osteoporosis Society is committed to funding research with the greatest potential to transform outcomes, with a particular focus on preventing the first fracture.  

Today, the ROS announced funding for a new study, to build the case for the world’s first screening programme for high fracture risk.  

The project, funded by the ROS, will be led by Professor Li Wei, Professor of Pharmacoepidemiology at University College London. It aims to advance targeted screening for high fracture risk through DXA scan evaluation in real-world settings.  

Targeted screening is likely to begin with preselection using a digital fracture risk tool or clinical risk factors, followed by a DXA scan. A DXA scan helps to determine the strength of a person’s bone. Professor Wei’s research will test the value of DXA based screening across under-researched groups including men, people from different ethnic backgrounds, and those in more deprived areas.  

Professor Wei, ROS grant recipient, said:  

“I am delighted that we have been awarded this project grant by the Royal Osteoporosis Society to leverage electronic health records in the UK to evaluate the accessibility, effectiveness, and safety of a community-based FRAX-DXA screening strategy among diverse population groups. Our study is to generate real-world evidence to support the development of an equitable, targeted national screening programme for fracture prevention.” 

Public and patient representatives with diverse lived experience will be central to the study, ensuring it reflects the priorities of people living with osteoporosis. It will also support the development of two early career researchers. 

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

“This research is an exciting step towards stopping broken bones before they happen. Right now, too many people only get help after a fracture. By finding those at risk earlier, we can protect more people from the pain and disruption of broken bones —and ease pressure on the NHS too.”  

Over the last four years, the ROS has invested more than £1.2million in our research programme. We remain committed to driving the breakthroughs needed to stop osteoporosis from devastating lives.   

Read more about our research programme. 

References:

1. Willers C, Norton N, Harvey NC, Jacobson T, Johansson H, Lorentzon M, McCloskey EV, Borgström F, Kanis JA; SCOPE review panel of the IOF. Osteoporosis in Europe: a compendium of country-specific reports. Arch Osteoporos. 2022 Jan 26;17(1):23.  
2. van Geel TA, van Helden S, Geusens PP, Winkens B, Dinant GJ. Clinical subsequent fractures cluster in time after first fractures. Ann Rheum Dis. 2009 Jan;68(1):99-102.  
3. Borgström F, Karlsson L, Ortsäter G, Norton N, Halbout P, Cooper C, Lorentzon M, McCloskey EV, Harvey NC, Javaid MK, Kanis JA; International Osteoporosis Foundation. Fragility fractures in Europe: burden, management and opportunities. Arch Osteoporos. 2020 Apr 19;15(1):59.