As the population ages and the burden of osteoporosis grow in the Asia-Pacific region, the need to find solutions to the fragility fracture crisis has taken on a new urgency - by 2050 it is expected that more than half of the world’s hip fractures will occur in Asia. 

With this mission in mind, the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) will hold its 8th Asia-Pacific Osteoporosis Conference, in virtual format, from December 1-2, 2021. The meeting, which opens with a special session on December 1st at 14:00 (Local time UTC +7), will present new regional research and clinical advances in bone health and osteoporosis management. The Conference is Co-chaired by Professor Cyrus Cooper (IOF President, UK), Dato’ Dr Joon-Kiong Lee (Malaysia), and Professor Songpatanasilp Thawee (Thailand). 

IOF President and Congress Co-Chair Professor Cyrus Cooper stated:

“Throughout the Asia Pacific region, a vast and growing elderly population is driving an enormous rise in the number of fragility fractures due to osteoporosis. As such, there is a critical need for concerted action on the part of the medical community, researchers, and healthcare authorities alike to address the costly human and socio-economic burden of disease. At the conference, we look forward to presenting new clinical knowledge to further best practice in osteoporosis management and strategies for the implementation of post-fracture care.”

The programme includes three plenary lectures, five Meet-the-Expert sessions, a special symposium on nutrition, exercise and bone health, oral communications, and joint sessions with the Asia Pacific Orthopaedic Association (APOA), the Asia Pacific Consortium On Osteoporosis (APCO), and the Asia Pacific Fragility Fracture Alliance (APFFA). A special pre-opening Capture the Fracture® session dedicated to post-fracture care in the Asia-Pacific will feature presentations by regional experts, who will share information about the challenges and success stories in local fracture liaison service development. 

On day two of the Conference, IOF will present the prestigious IOF Young Investigator Awards to five researchers in recognition of their top-ranking research abstracts. The investigators have been invited to present their research at a special session.

Dato’ Dr Joon-Kiong Lee, Congress Co-chair and Chair of the IOF Regional Advisory Council for the Asia Pacific added:

“With its strong clinical focus the Conference will attract broad attendance from across the region, including by orthopaedic surgeons and other specialists who play an important role in delivering post-fracture care for secondary fracture prevention. I particularly look forward to the Special Joint Session with APOA in which the role of orthopaedic surgeons and geriatricians, as well as the development of hip fracture registries in Asia, will be a key focus of discussions. As well, the joint session with APCO and APFFA will provide important insights into best practice in osteoporosis management and post-fracture care in the Asia Pacific.”

The Conference has been accredited by the European Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (EACCME®) with 7 European CME credits (ECMEC®s). Registrants will have on-demand access to the complete programme for three months following the Conference.

Professor Thawee Songpatanasilp, Congress Co-chair and Immediate Past President of the Thai Osteoporosis Foundation (TOPF) concluded: “I look forward to welcoming researchers and physicians from across the region to this important regional event. We are confident that this high-quality scientific programme will arm delegates with valuable knowledge and new insights that will help them provide best-practice care to patients with osteoporosis and fragility fractures.”

Further information and online registration is available at https://iof-regional.org/  

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About IOF
The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) is the world's largest nongovernmental organization dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis and related musculoskeletal diseases. IOF members, including committees of scientific researchers, leading companies, as well as more than 268 patient, medical and research societies, work together to bone health and fracture prevention a worldwide health care priority. www.osteoporosis.foundation @iofbonehealth

About the 8th IOF Regional Asia-Pacific Osteoporosis Conference
Organized by the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF), the CME-accredited IOF Regional Conference will be held virtually from December 1-2, 2021. The IOF Regional conferences have been a key educational and research forum in the Asia-Pacific region since 2010.  To learn more about the Conference or to register, visit https://iof-regional.org/