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Article: Bone density testing new recommendations for when to start.
- Article from:
- HealthFacts
- Article date:
- March 1, 2003
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 Center for Medical Consumers, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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"Bone mineral density testing is a poor predictor of future fractures, but an excellent predictor of start of drug use."
Barbara Mintzes, British Medical Journal, 4/13/02
The selling of bone density tests to younger women took off, not incidentally, once a fracture-prevention drug became available. In 1997, Merck received FDA approval to promote its new osteoporosis drug Fosamax (alendronate) as a preventive. Initially, Merck's ads directed to physicians featured a fit-looking woman in her early forties, but now older women are portrayed in the ads directed to the public. ("See how beautiful 60 can look, see how invisible osteoporosis can be?.... Ask ...