NICE recommends osteoporosis drug treatment for postmenopausal women

The Royal Osteoporosis Society (ROS) has welcomed the decision by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) of their intention to recommend a new osteoporosis drug treatment for postmenopausal women. 

Abaloparatide, which is an anabolic drug, works in a slightly different way to many other drug treatments by stimulating bone formation. This can help to strengthen bones, making them less likely to break.  

The new treatment is similar to another anabolic drug called teriparatide, and will bring additional drug treatment options to patients at a very high fracture risk. This means people who are most likely to have fractures as a result of their condition have the option of another effective medication.  

Abaloparatide has been available to patients in America for the treatment of osteoporosis since 2017 and has now been licenced in the UK. 

Professor Emma Clark, Chair of the ROS Clinical and Research Committee, said: 

“Having an additional anabolic medication to help people at the highest risk of fractures is good news. It has the potential to bring relief and hope to many women at higher fracture risk, and we hope that in the future it will be available for men too.” 

Craig Jones, Chief Executive at the ROS, said:  

“We welcome the news that NICE have recommended a new drug treatment for postmenopausal women. It’s important that there are a range of safe, effective drug treatment options available to help prevent fractures and enable people to live well with osteoporosis.” 

NICE will be making their final recommendation in August and we expect the drug treatment to be available later in the year.