There is a wide range of dosage frequencies for the different osteoporosis medications - some are daily and some require only a once every 6-12 month infusion. If you have been prescribed medication for osteoporosis but don’t routinely take it, what can you expect in the future?

Researchers at the Management School of the University of Liège in Belgium recently modeled the economic and clinical costs of “non-adherence” to osteoporosis medication in 65 year-old women with clinically identified osteoporosis. They found that if only 80% of the prescribed pills were taken, there would be reduction in “quality of life years” and in prevention of fractures to only 27 and 23% respectively of the values if all prescribed doses had been taken.

These somewhat astonishing figures speak to the urgent need to take medication as prescribed. If you find yourself just unable to keep up with taking pills regularly for osteoporosis you should talk to your doctor about one of the longer acting medications that require less frequent dosing.

Read an abstract of the article here.