World Health Organization (WHO)
Osteoporosis was formally identified as a disease by a group of WHO experts in 1994 resulting in publication of "Assessment of Fracture Risk and its Application to Screening for Postmenopausal Osteoporosis" (WHO Technical Report Series 843). EFFO (which merged with the IFSSD in 1998 to become IOF) provided technical and financial support to the study.
Since then IOF has enjoyed a long-standing working relationship with WHO on issues of importance in osteoporosis, including joint consultation on WHO technical reports (see below).
Below is a brief outline of IOF past cooperation and mutual projects with the WHO:
WHO Working Group on Fracture Risk Assessment
Scientific research now supports the use of proven therapies to prevent osteoporotic fractures based on the individual's probability of fracture as opposed to their bone density score alone. This new concept is currently being validated by a WHO working group in collaboration with IOF and the (US) National Osteoporosis Foundation to ensure its accuracy and reproducibility. The goal is to develop an easy-to-use fracture risk assessment tool for family physicians to use with patients of both sexes, all ages, ethnic groups and in all countries. The results of the investigation are expected in 2006 and will be announced by IOF. A preliminary article authored by Prof. J. Kanis is available here.
IOF consultation on WHO Technical Reports
IOF’s joint consultation with the WHO and the (US) National Institute of Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases has led to numerous WHO Technical Reports and has led to the creation of three WHO osteoporosis collaborating centres based in Geneva, Switzerland; Liege, Belgium and Sheffield, United Kingdom.
WHO Global Strategy on Osteoporosis
In 1998 Dr. André Prost, then Director of WHO's Division of Noncommunicable Diseases, announced that osteoporosis must be considered as a priority public health issue. In the following year IOF held an exclusive interview with Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, the director general of WHO at the time, in which she said that “recognising the global problem posed by osteoporosis, WHO sees the need for a global strategy for prevention and control of osteoporosis, focusing on three major functions: prevention, management and surveillance”.
IOF actively participated in the launch of the WHO Global Strategy on Osteoporosis in 1999, as the co-organiser of the International Press Conference held on October 11, 1999 in Lyon, France. A scientific task force, which included IOF board members and scientific officers, published an Interim report (PDF, 60 KB) that appeared in IOF's scientific journal Osteoporosis International in October 1999, to coincide with the World Osteoporosis Day.
Campaigning for a WHO resolution on osteoporosis
In May 2000 IOF campaigned for a resolution on osteoporosis to be adopted by the World Health Assembly. A resolution, which must clear many hurdles before it reaches the World Health Assembly for final adoption by all Member States, would be an important step in raising international awareness of the disease and its prevention, early detection and treatment. It would help give osteoporosis a higher status on governments' agendas worldwide and would help the disease gain importance in WHO's strategy and programs.
The procedure for a WHO resolution to be adopted is a long term challenge. The subject in question has to be discussed by the WHO Executive Board (a turnover representation of 30 Member States elected for three years) the resolution adopted and then presented at the World Health Assembly for final adoption by all Member States. The procedure involves contacting WHO's Member States, represented by their Ministry of Health, and encouraging the member states to give individual support for a resolution. It is important to secure the support of as many Member States as possible. In 2000 IOF was successful in assuring support from major Member States, from various parts of the world. A draft resolution was considered by them and the WHO Secretariat and a request made to put osteoporosis on the agenda of an Executive Board Meeting.
