It is with great joy and gratitude that the Swedish Osteoporosis Society has announced that HM Silvia, Queen of Sweden has assumed the patronage of the Society. 

Royal patronage has a long historical tradition in Sweden. Today, the term means explicit support for the work of organizations, associations, or institutions, or support for other important activities or community engagements. HM The Queen has now assumed the patronage of the Swedish Osteoporosis Society.

"The Swedish Osteoporosis Society receives The Queen's patronage with great gratitude. Hopefully, this can increase awareness of

osteoporosis and thereby help reduce the underdiagnosis and undertreatment of the disease," says Anna Spångeus, Chair of the Swedish Osteoporosis Society, Associate Professor, and Senior Physician at Linköping University Hospital.

Osteoporosis is a condition where the skeleton becomes fragile and easy to break. This means that fractures can occur from, for example, a minor fall. Sweden has one of the world's most fragile populations in terms of bone health. One in two women and one in four men over the age of 50 are expected to suffer an osteoporotic fracture during their lifetime, and around 120,000 osteoporosis-related fractures occur in Sweden each year. These fractures often result in significant suffering with permanent disability and an increased risk of early death for those affected. Osteoporotic fractures account for a large part of emergency care in Sweden, yet the condition itself is severely underdiagnosed and undertreated. With proper care, many fractures could be prevented.

The Swedish Osteoporosis Society is a national coordinating body for specialties and professions with an interest in osteoporosis. It works to strengthen the care of osteoporosis patients, spread knowledge about this relatively unknown disease, and ensure high quality in Swedish osteoporosis care.