n aging world population has resulted in a greater
individual and economic burden related to osteoporosis.
An estimated 40 million adults in the United States aged
50 and older had low bone density in 2006,1 and the number
of fractures is expected to grow almost 50% by 2025.2
Osteoporotic fractures result in substantial morbidity; after
a hip fracture, up to 20% of adults enter a nursing home,
and 40% of people who experience a hip fracture do not
recover their baseline functional status.3 Furthermore, the
risk of mortality after a hip fracture does not return to
baseline for many years.4 Oral bisphosphonate therapies
possess good antifracture efficacy, providing an opportunity
to avert these devastating outcomes.
National healthcare spending is expected to reach $4.4
trillion (2010 dollars) over the next 10 years, indicating the
need for more-efficient resource allocation.5 Healthcare
professionals are increasingly encouraged to incorporate
fiscally responsible decision-making into clinical practice.
A number of economic analyses for the treatment of
osteoporosis have been published,6–11 and from these, it is
known that therapeutic intervention for osteoporosis
becomes increasingly cost-effective for an average person
with advancing age.