The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) announced the winners of the 2011 IOF-AMGEN/GSK Health Professionals Awareness Grants on March 20th at the IOF Worldwide Conference of Osteoporosis Patient Societies in Valencia. The Grants, awarded to societies from Australia, Colombia and Poland, aim to support innovative projects by IOF member societies that focus on improving knowledge of osteoporosis among clinicians and allied health professionals.
The three grants, valued at 10,000 USD each, were awarded to the following IOF member societies:
Osteoporotic fractures affect up to one in two women and one in five men over the age of fifty around the world. It is essential that doctors and other health professionals are adequately prepared to advise patients on the best possible care for osteoporosis in order to prevent fractures and their devastating health consequences. The IOF-AMGEN/GSK Health Professionals Awareness Grants recognize and support the non-governmental organizations which play an important role in health professional education.
Further information about the awards and the winning projects is available on the IOF website, http://www.iofbonehealth.org
About Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis, in which the bones become porous and break easily, is one of the world's most common and debilitating diseases. The result: pain, loss of movement, inability to perform daily chores, and in some cases, death. Worldwide, one out of two women over 50 will experience osteoporotic fractures, as will one out of five men. Osteoporosis can, to a certain extent, be prevented, if it can be easily diagnosed and effective treatments are available. Nevertheless, osteoporosis often remains under-diagnosed and under-treated, leaving people at unnecessary risk of fracture.
About the International Osteoporosis Foundation
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 196 member societies in 93 countries, regions and territories. Among its numerous programmes and activities, IOF mobilises the global osteoporosis movement on World Osteoporosis Day every year and organises the IOF World Wide Conference of Osteoporosis Patient Societies every two years. For more information about IOF visit http://www.iofbonehealth.org