Bending over backwards: Osteoporosis and EU policy on active ageing

Osteoporosis, a disease in which the density and quality of bone are silently and progressively reduced, is one of the most common, debilitating, and costly chronic diseases in Europe. Affecting 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men over the age of 50, the direct cost of Osteoporosis in Europe is estimated at around €32bn a year.

About 24 per cent of women and 33 per cent of men die within one year of sustaining a hip fracture. The sad reality in Europe is that Osteoporosis is usually not diagnosed in time. Despite the availability of approved diagnostic and therapeutic options, people continue to suffer fractures, many of which could have been prevented.

As life expectancy increases in the EU, the numbers of Europeans suffering from osteoporotic fractures will more than double in the next 50 years unless decisive governmental action is immediately taken at national and European levels. Osteoporosis is now a largely treatable condition and, with a combination of lifestyle changes and appropriate medical treatment, many fractures can be prevented.

Jim Higgins MEP played a key role in initiating this policy debate and raising awareness on osteoporosis and the need for a more effective policy and innovative approaches on diagnosis and treatment to the attention of the EU decision makers. Please find out more about his work here .

The IOF EU Osteoporosis Interest Group in the European Parliament is an informal, all-party group founded in December 2001. Currently co-chaired by MEPs Mary Honeyball and Anja Weisgerber, the aim of the group is to help stimulate policy developments at both national and European levels by increasing political awareness of Osteoporosis, participating in policy activities, and supporting relevant legislation.

The European Parliament Osteoporosis Interest Group actively campaigns on the following specific actions:

• Improve the availability of bone densitometry resources and pay for bone density scans for people at risk of Osteoporosis prior to the first fracture.
• Pay for proven therapies for people at risk of Osteoporosis prior to the first fracture
• Financially support and participate in educational awareness campaigns in partnership with the International Osteoporosis Foundation its member societies and other concerned groups and professionals.

The consultation was specifically focussed on identifying barriers to innovation and to highlight potential opportunities related to the pilot European innovation partnership (EIP) on active ageing, one of the first proposals stemming from the EU's flagship innovation union initiative unveiled in October 2010.

The EIP, which the commission intends to launch in 2011 following analysis of the responses to theconsultation, has three clear aims to improve the health and quality of life of older people: enabling them to live active and independent lives; to contribute to the sustainability and efficiency of health and social care systems; and to foster competitiveness and business opportunities.

The EIP will focus on applying innovation on a larger scale than today in areas such as health promotion, prevention, early diagnosis and treatment, integrated and collaborative health and social care systems, independent living and assistive technologies for older people, and has a headline target to increase the average healthy lifespan in the EU by two years by 2020.

The Parliament Magazine is pleased to present, in association with Amgen and GlaxoSmithKline, a discussion on how Osteoporosis can be integrated into the priorities of the European innovation partnership on active ageing

The event will be a unique opportunity to learn more about the issues surrounding Osteoporosis as well as the European Parliament Osteoporosis Interest Group and to engage with EU policy makers, stakeholders and sector representatives on the economic and social benefits of incorporating this largely treatable condition within the European innovation partnership on active ageing. The event will be chaired by Jim Higgins MEP and co-chaired by Mary Honeyball MEP.

Click here to view photos from the event

European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing
Jorge Pinto Antunes
Strategy and Analysis, DG Health and Consumers, European Commission

The burden of osteoporosis in the EU
Judy Stenmark
Chief Operating Officer, International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF)