Following a decade of steady growth, use of bisphosphonates—medications that are effective for treating osteoporosis—declined in the United States by more than 50% from 2008 to 2012.

The sudden drop seemed to occur after media reports highlighted safety concerns, such as the development of certain fractures that occurred rarely in long-term users, despite the fact that the US Food and Drug Administration and the American Society of Bone and Mineral Research did not recommend any specific safety restrictions on . The findings are published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research.

"Our study documents a dramatic drop in medication use by patients. Whether it will impact the long-term bone health of the nation remains to be seen," said senior author Dr. Timothy Bhattacharyya.

More information: Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, DOI: 10.1002/jbmr.2565

Journal information: Journal of Bone and Mineral Research

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