Launch of National SOS Fracture Alliance

Today Tuesday 27 June marks the launch of the SOS Fracture Alliance - Australian’s only national alliance of 30 medical, allied health, patient and consumer organisations focusing on the prevention of osteoporotic fractures. The more than 2.91 million individual members have a common goal – to ‘make the first break the last’ by improving nation-wide care for patients presenting with minimal trauma fracture.

The SOS Fracture Alliance is working to close this gap in osteoporosis care by addressing the fact that the overwhelming majority of patients who sustain an osteoporotic fracture receive no investigation, nor treatment to prevent further fractures.

Chair of the national SOS Alliance Steering Committee Professor Markus Seibel said “More often than not, people are sent home after their fracture has been ‘fixed’ and miss out on essential investigation and care which in many cases would prevent fractures.”

“The SOS Alliance is seeking to increase the recognition nation-wide of first fractures in people with undiagnosed osteoporosis, to make their first break the last. This is why the SOS Fracture Alliance strongly advocates the implementation, across the nation, of routine services that identify, investigate and treat patients with osteoporotic fractures. These secondary fracture prevention services will integrate all sectors of the health system, in particular, primary care and hospital-based services.” said Professor Seibel.

The launch of the SOS Fracture Alliance coincides with the first state and territory reports analysing the costs and burden of osteoporosis and related fractures across Australia, released today by Osteoporosis Australia. The reports show the total cost of fractures, over 10 years, will reach $21.9 billion by 2022.

FOR MEDIA