Endocrine Abstracts

The fractures that result from postmenopausal osteoporosis have a major public health impact. We have a number of drugs we can use to reduce the risk of these fractures. Most of these drugs are anti-resorptive, such as the bisphosphonates (alendronate, ibandronate, risedronate and zoledronate), raloxifene, oestrogen, and denosumab. Until recently the only anabolic agent available was teriparatide. However, in the last couple of years two new agents have been approved in some c...

I received a clinical fellowship from the Medical Research Council to study osteoporosis at the University of Edinburgh in 1978. I furthered my clinical research training by working at the Mayo Clinic under the supervision of Dr B L Riggs where I worked for five years. I developed a number of new approaches for studying osteoporosis while at the Mayo Clinic including the use of stable (non-radioactive) isotopes to measure the absorption of calcium from food, the use of an infu...