New Educational Tool To Facilitate Teaching And Understanding Of FRAX®

Main Category: Bones / Orthopedics
Also Included In: Medical Students / Training;  IT / Internet / E-mail;  Primary Care / General Practice
Article Date: 28 Apr 2009 - 5:00 PDT

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The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) will soon launch the FRAX® Slide-kit CD-Rom, an educational tool targeted at clinicians and healthcare professionals. The slide kit, developed by IOF in cooperation with Dr. Eugene McCloskey and Professor John Kanis of the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Metabolic Bone Diseases, University of Sheffield, UK, will facilitate the understanding and teaching of the WHO Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX®).

FRAX® is a simple web-based tool that integrates clinical information in a quantitative manner to predict a 10-year probability of major osteoporotic fracture for both women and men in different countries. The FRAX® calculation algorithm is derived from a series of meta-analyses using the primary data from population-based cohorts that have identified several clinical risk factors for fracture. This practical online tool, currently available for 12 countries, can be accessed free of charge at http://www.shef.ac.uk/FRAX/.

Intended for scientists and healthcare professionals who want to educate their peers on this new osteoporosis diagnosis paradigm, the FRAX® Slide-kit contains the most relevant information and visual aids linked to the development of the FRAX® tool, with commentaries highlighting key messages to be conveyed when speaking about fracture risk. The kit also includes an up-to-date list of references for further reading.

Several thousand CD-Roms will be distributed at upcoming meetings that have been endorsed or supported by IOF. As of May 7, 2009, the slide kit can also be downloaded free of charge from the IOF website.

Acknowledgement: IOF extends its thanks to the Invest in Your Bones corporate partners who funded the development and dissemination of the FRAX® Slide-kit through an unrestricted educational grant.

About IOF The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) is a not-for-profit, nongovernmental organization dedicated to the worldwide fight against osteoporosis, the disease known as "the silent epidemic". IOF's members - scientific researchers, patient, medical and research societies and industry representatives from around the world - share a common vision of a world without osteoporotic fractures. IOF, with headquarters in Switzerland, currently includes 191 member societies in 91 countries, regions and territories. The Foundation works with its members to advance the understanding of osteoporosis and to promote prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the disease worldwide. Among its numerous programs and activities, IOF mobilizes the global osteoporosis movement on World Osteoporosis Day every year and organizes the IOF World Congress on Osteoporosis and the IOF World Wide Conference of Osteoporosis Patient Societies every two years.

About FRAX® The ultimate aim of the clinician in the management of osteoporosis should be to reduce the risk of fractures. Treatment decisions must be made through good clinical judgement and through improved identification of patients at high risk. FRAX® is a simple web-tool that integrates clinical information in a quantitative manner to predict a 10-year probability of major osteoporotic fracture for both women and men in different countries. Developed at the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Metabolic Bone Diseases, University of Sheffield, UK, the tool assists primary health care providers to better target people in need of intervention, improving the allocation of healthcare resources towards patients most likely to benefit from treatment.

Source:
L.Misteli
International Osteoporosis Foundation

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