Drug offers hope to bone break victims

OLDER women in the Lothians who suffer bone breaks could be offered a new treatment after a drug was regulated for use north of the border.

It means females who suffer post-menopausal osteoporotic fractures - such as a broken hip - will be allowed the Prolia denosumab drug.

Professor Stuart Ralston, professor of rheumatology at Edinburgh University, said: "Denosumab is a highly effective treatment which will be particularly useful in patients who are having problems taking the standard treatment, which is a tablet that is given once a week.

"At the moment we are able to treat these patients but it involves them coming up to hospital to give them a drug that is given by a drip.

"Denosumab will provide us with an alternative option for these patients since it can be given easily by the patient's GP or practice nurse by an injection once every six months."