Today’s new osteoporosis drug could change lives, but not while diagnostic services are missing in half of NHS Trusts

The ROS has welcomed today’s news that Abaloparatide, only the second new osteoporosis drug treatment in the last 15 years, is now approved by NICE and should benefit over 14,000 people living in England.  

Osteoporosis is one of the most common and serious women’s health issues.

Fractures (broken bones) caused by osteoporosis affect half of women aged over 50, and a fifth of men of similar age. The condition causes bones to break after simple everyday occurrences like coughs, sneezes, a fall from standing height or a hug from grandchildren. These fractures are the fourth worst cause of disability and premature death in the UK.

Abaloparatide is an anabolic drug and works in a slightly different way to many other drug treatments by stimulating bone formation. This new alternative has the potential to change thousands of lives by keeping people safe from life-changing spinal fractures and broken hips.

However, the Royal Osteoporosis Society has today warned thousands of people will miss out on Abaloparatide and other treatments due to the chronic postcode lottery for diagnostic services in half of NHS Trusts. The All Party Parliamentary Group for Osteoporosis found that two in every three people with osteoporosis are missing treatment, largely due to the absence of Fracture Liaison Services (FLS) in half of NHS Trusts.

Craig Jones, CEO of the Royal Osteoporosis Society said:

“Sadly, it’s no good having new medication options if half of NHS Trusts don’t have diagnostic services to put people onto them. The postcode lottery for Fracture Liaison Services means 90,000 people will miss out on life-changing bones drugs like the new one announced today. Without those diagnostic services, we’ll continue to overlook two in every three osteoporosis patients who need life-changing drugs like these.”

During the election campaign, Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting was widely praised for committing to make Fracture Liaison Services (FLS) universal by 2030, to extend an early diagnosis to all.

The ROS is today calling on the Secretary of State to make it an urgent priority to deliver on his promise, so the opportunity of new medications like the one announced today isn’t wasted.

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