Fed: PM announces osteoporosis initiatives

AAP General News (Australia)
12-18-2006
Fed: PM announces osteoporosis initiatives

EDS: Embargoed until 0001 (AEDT) Monday, December 18



CANBERRA, Dec 18 AAP - The federal government will extend the Pharmaceutical Benefits
Scheme (PBS) listing of drugs used to treat the brittle-bone disease osteoporosis, Prime
Minister John Howard says.

The government will also extend Medicare to cover bone-mineral density tests for anyone
70 and over with the disease, he said.

Mr Howard said the overall cost would be more than $225 million.

"Osteoporosis is a brittle-bone disease that severely inhibits the quality and freedom
of life of many Australians through bone fractures and persistent pain," Mr Howard said
in his weekly radio message.

"Nearly two million, mainly older Australians, have this terrible disease. Many are
unaware they have a problem. Their bodies are unable to maintain strong and healthy bones
leading to a higher risk of bone fractures.

"As a result, some sufferers experience long-term pain and disability, a loss of independence
and even premature death."

Mr Howard said figures from Osteoporosis Australia showed that every eight minutes
another sufferer was admitted to hospital with a fracture caused by the disease.

He said much had been done to tackle osteoporosis in a comprehensive way, but more
could be done and details of the latest initiatives would be announced later today.

"The government will extend the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme listing of the osteoporosis
drugs Fosamax and Alendro, and extend Medicare to cover bone-mineral density tests for
people with the disease aged 70 years and over," he said.

"The extension of the PBS from April next year will give subsidised access to this
important drug treatment to an additional 40,000 people aged over 70 whose bone density
test shows they are at high risk of fractures. That figure will grow to more than 73,000
additional patients by 2010."

Mr Howard said this was another way of helping older Australians manage chronic diseases
and live a more comfortable and active life.

AAP mb/it/nf

KEYWORD: OSTEOPOROSIS (EMBARGOED)

2006 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.