ROS and APPG on Osteoporosis and Bone Health Inquiry Report on Access to Medicines
An upcoming report from the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Osteoporosis and Bone Health highlights the “critical need for system-wide reform” to address barriers to osteoporosis medication in the NHS, leaving millions of people at risk of life-threatening fractures.
Fractures caused by osteoporosis are preventable. A timely diagnosis and a treatment plan can prevent fractures. But there is an enormous treatment gap with two-thirds of people who need anti-osteoporosis medications missing out on them – around 90,000 people every year.
The APPG – which the Royal Osteoporosis Society supports – launched this review to investigate how the accessibility of osteoporosis medicines contributes to this treatment gap.
The Group’s evidence will show how a chaotic patchwork of drug prescribing rules is leading to inequity and inefficiency. While people living in more affluent areas can receive their medication from a GP, others are forced to endure lengthy waits for a referral to a specialist to get the same drug, or find that the treatment is not even available in their region.
The research found that if you lived in a more affluent area, you were more likely to have a range of medicines available to treat osteoporosis compared to if you lived in a more deprived area.
The report, due to be released before Easter, puts forward several constructive recommendations to address the barriers to identification, treatment and management of osteoporosis outlined including reform of ICS drug formularies, shared care agreements and improving patient information.