Relief to Scots with crippling condition

WELCOME relief appears in the offing for those who suffer from osteoporosis, the condition better known as brittle bone disease.

The development of new guidelines to improve the management of the disease should assist sufferers as well as the NHS.

The crippling condition inflicts untold misery on 240,000 Scots. Knocks or falls that in the rest of us would generate nothing more than a painful bruise result in broken bones in those who suffer from osteoporosis.

The fact that they, in many instances, then have to endure lengthy stays in hospital to recover explains the £30million annual cost to the NHS in Scotland.

The guidelines developed by a team of experts that include Aberdeen University’s Professor David Reid are a significant step forward.

They will ensure GPs and other medical specialists have the very latest information to identify, treat and monitor the condition. It is good news for sufferers and the NHS.