The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) is partnering with Amgen and UCB, in collaboration with the University of Oxford, to support its Capture the Fracture program, which aims to reduce hip and vertebral fractures by 25% by 2025.
Bridge Medical Communications is proud to support this important project, which will play an important role in improving the lives of people living with osteoporosis.
It’s estimated that more than 200 million people worldwide suffer from osteoporosis, which results in an osteoporosis-related fracture every three seconds.
The numbers are staggering, however osteoporosis remains vastly underdiagnosed and undertreated, which leads to higher risk of future fractures.
According to a release from the IOF, Capture the Fracture “aims to proactively implement post-fracture care coordination programs in hospitals and healthcare systems, to help prevent subsequent fractures due to osteoporosis, and improve patient care.”
While osteoporosis is a chronic condition that weakens bones over time, there are preventative measures patients and healthcare providers can take to reduce fracture risk.
“Osteoporosis remains a global concern, resulting in 8.9 million fractures in a single year and a previous fracture increases the risk of another osteoporosis-related fracture by 86%,” says Darryl Sleep, M.D., senior vice president of Global Medical and chief medical officer at Amgen. “Early intervention through improved post-fracture identification, diagnosis and treatment in appropriate patients can help improve outcomes while also lessening the cost burden on healthcare systems. Supporting Capture the Fracture represents our proactive approach to care designed to predict and help prevent potentially life-altering fractures before they happen.”
The global initiative is designed to address a number of key elements for this disease, which is a growing issue around the world.
“We are currently witnessing a significant disease burden. As the worldwide aging population steadily increases, it has never been more important to address the impact that osteoporosis and associated fractures can have on individuals,” says professor Cyrus Cooper, president of the International Osteoporosis Foundation and professor of Musculoskeletal Science at the University of Oxford.
IOF chief executive officer Dr. Philippe Halbout agrees: “We know post-fracture coordinated care implementation is the most effective and efficient intervention to close the secondary fracture prevention gap, so I’m delighted that Amgen, UCB and the University of Oxford will support our Capture the Fracture program as we embark on a mission to improve outcomes for patients.”
Osteoporosis is most often treated by multiple specialties, which gives rise to the need for coordinated care: Research shows post-fracture care coordination programs improve diagnosis and treatment rates.
With that in mind, Capture the Fracture programs involve a care coordinator, who will “help patients with an osteoporosis-related fracture be identified, screened, diagnosed and appropriately treated to reduce their future fracture risk.”
Additional elements include developing and implementing efficiencies and best practice sharing, creating a digital tool that documents and communicates PFC effectiveness, and providing virtual and in-person mentorship and learning opportunities for healthcare providers.
At the moment there are 390 Capture the Fracture programs up and running—the new partnership aims to double this number by the end of 2022. The initiative will focus on key regions, including Asia Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East, and Europe.
“The introduction of the post-fracture care model is recognized as a progressive milestone in the management of osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures, and remains a profound example of what good looks like in coordination of care among multiple disconnected players,” says Professor Dr. Iris Loew-Friedrich, chief medical officer and executive vice president, UCB. “Collaboration and cross learning are necessary if we are to face the challenges of the future and find a way to lessen the burden faced by healthcare systems and people living with osteoporosis.”
Bridge Medical Communications in honoured to work on helping support and grow this groundbreaking initiative here in Canada and around the globe. Click here for more information about Capture the Fracture.
