A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE OSTEOPOROSIS PREVENTION, TREATMENT, AND DIAGNOSIS PROGRAM IN THE Department of Health and Human Services.
Whereas, osteoporosis, a bone‑weakening disease, is a major public health problem that poses a threat to the health and quality of life for as many as 44 million Americans, 10 million already have the disease and 34 million have osteopenia or low bone mass and are at risk; and
Whereas, nearly 1.27 million North Carolinians are estimated to have osteoporosis or osteopenia; and
Whereas, osteoporosis is responsible for more than 1.5 million fractures a year, including 300,000 hip fractures, 250,000 wrist fractures, and 300,000 fractures at other sites, which cause pain, disability, immobility, and social isolation; and
Whereas, because osteoporosis progresses without symptoms or notice until a fracture occurs, prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment are the key to reducing the prevalence and devastation from this disease; and
Whereas, one in two women and one in four men over 50 will have an osteoporosis‑related fracture; and
Whereas, the estimated national direct expenditures (hospitals and nursing homes) for osteoporotic and associated fractures were $17 billion in 2001, equaling a cost of $47 million each day; and
Whereas, the medical costs associated with osteoporosis in North Carolina totaled $455 million in 2002 and are expected to increase to $514 million by 2005; and
Whereas, although a large body of public information exists from various sources about osteoporosis, it is often inadequately disseminated and not tailored to meet the needs of specific population groups; and
Whereas, many people, including physicians, health providers, government agencies, and health and aging professionals, remain uninformed about the prevention, detection, and treatment of the disease; and
Whereas, osteoporosis experts believe that a greater awareness of the value of prevention among physicians, health providers, government agencies, professionals in the fields of health and aging, and the general public will reduce occurrences of the disease, thereby reducing the costs of long‑term care; and
Whereas, osteoporosis is a multigenerational issue in that building strong bones during childhood and early adolescence may prevent fractures later in life; and
Whereas, educating the public and health care community throughout the State about this potentially devastating disease is of great importance and benefit to the residents of North Carolina; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  Article 7 of Chapter 130A of the General Statutes is amended by adding the following new Part to read:
"Part 6. Osteoporosis.
"§ 130A-224. Department to establish program.
(a)	The Department shall establish and administer a program for the prevention and diagnosis of osteoporosis and for the care and treatment of persons with osteoporosis. The purposes of the program shall include:
(1)	Developing public awareness of the causes and nature of osteoporosis, personal risk factors, value of prevention and early detection, and options for diagnosing and treating the disease.
(2)	Educating consumers about risk factors, diet and exercise, diagnostic procedures and their indications for use, risks and benefits of drug therapies currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, environmental safety and injury prevention, and the availability of self-help diagnostic, treatment, and rehabilitation services.
(3)	Training and educating physicians and other professionals in the areas of health and aging on the most accurate scientific and medical information for osteoporosis prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, therapeutic decision making, which can include the guidelines for detecting and treating the disease in special populations, risks and benefits of medications, and research advances.
(4)	Utilizing resources and materials from other organizations with expertise in the osteoporosis field.
(b)	The Commission may adopt rules necessary to implement the program."
SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective October 1, 2004.