UCB at FFN 2022: Taking a united stance on the importance of post-fracture care

We are looking forward to coming together, face-to-face, with experts from across the globe at this year’s Fragility Fracture Network (FFN) 2022 congress in Melbourne, beginning – aptly – on World Osteoporosis Day on 20 October. We’re excited to share and debate the very latest data and thinking, with the ultimate aim of delivering on FFN’s mission to optimise the multidisciplinary management of fragility fracture patients and the prevention of secondary fractures. 

This mission is very much in line with our own, which is why we’re so proud to work with FFN and other partners such as the International Osteoporosis Foundation through initiatives such as Capture the Fracture^®, a global program to facilitate the implementation of Post-Fracture Care (PFC) Coordination Programs, such as Fracture Liaison Services (FLS), for secondary fracture prevention.

Approximately 80% of individuals who have sustained a fracture due to osteoporosis do not receive the follow-up care they need, increasing the risk of suffering another costly and potentially life-altering break. FLSs provide routine assessment and management through a specialist multi-disciplinary team, thereby systematically reviewing patients’ risk for future fractures and their need for treatment, so they can receive optimal, personalised care. Coordinated PFC programs such as FLSs have been shown to improve outcomes of osteoporosis-related fractures and to reduce re-fracture rates and mortality, ultimately lessening the burden on healthcare systems.

Such is their value, Japan and Denmark have recently made significant changes to their reimbursement schemes in the FLS space – changes which recognise the importance of PFC and which position FLSs as an essential part of the treatment pathway. In Japan, patients who have suffered a hip fracture will now be automatically assessed for osteoporosis in line with FLS clinical standards. In addition, the fee to manage secondary fracture prevention, which is often a significant barrier to care access, will also be reimbursed. In Denmark, FLSs will be reimbursed in four out of five regions over the course of 2022 – 2023. 

Spain, Italy and the UK have also recognised the urgency of dealing with the osteoporosis treatment gap; they are all actively investing in innovative new treatments and have updated guidelines to ensure patients can access to them as quickly as possible.

There’s lots to be optimistic about, but always more we can do. By bringing together members of the scientific community, patient groups, governments and industry leaders, events such as FFN act as a platform to facilitate the prioritization and implementation of PFC programs in even more countries around the world.

Look out for updates from UCB at FFN 2022 on Twitter and LinkedIn!