Osteoporosis Canada

Osteoporosis Canada (OC), a registered charity, is the only national organization serving people who have, or are at risk for, osteoporosis. OC works to educate, empower and support individuals and communities in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.

BACKGROUND

Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by low bone mass and deterioration of bone tissue. This can cause the skeleton to become fragile, so that even a slight bump or fall, from standing height or less, can lead to a broken bone (referred to as a fragility fracture). Osteoporosis has no signs or symptoms until a fracture occurs – this is why it is often called a ‘silent disease’.

In February 2005, the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care announced Ontario’s first Osteoporosis Strategy. The goal of the Strategy is to reduce morbidity, mortality and costs from osteoporotic fractures using a patient centred, inter-disciplinary approach that is integrated across health care sectors and aims to reduce osteoporotic hip fractures in Ontario by 20% by 2020.

The Fracture Screening and Prevention Program (FSPP), a secondary fracture prevention initiative launched in 2007, is a key priority area for the Ontario Osteoporosis Strategy.