Osteoporosis Calculator

Here’s some good news if you’re at risk for osteoporosis. And according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation about one out of every two Caucasian women will experience an osteoporosis-related fracture at some point in her lifetime, as will one in five men.

While there are bone enhancing medications on the market, the question is who should take them. On the one hand, fractures can be catastrophic for older people. On the other, the drugs are expensive, they can have side effects, and they are only about 50 percent effective.

Now the World Health Organization has a new online tool to help doctors and patients evaluate who should take these drugs. It’s called FRAX, and you can get it online. It’s controversial because not every possible contributor to fracture risk has been factored into the formula. But according to the New York Times, if it’s used properly it can lead to better treatment decisions.