Osteoporosis, brittle bone disease, affects one in three women and one in five men over the age of 50. Every thirty seconds someone in the European Union has a fracture as a result of the disease.
The sad truth is that much of the damage caused by the condition could be prevented by earlier diagnosis.
We need to raise the profile of osteoporosis so that people suffering from the disease get their fair share of medical treatment.
I have been chair of the Osteoporosis Interest Group in the European Parliament for a number of years. Earlier this week I opened a meeting of a panel of surgeons, doctors and medical professionals who were meeting to consider the results of an audit of osteoporosis provision in the EU.
Due to be published later this year, the audit will be a valuable tool in persuading Member States to improve their facilities. Preliminary figures from the audit show the UK near the bottom of the league table. I am intending to take this disgraceful situation up with Ministers in the near future.
