New 3-in-1 combination treatment to help reduce fracture risk in osteoporosis patients
More than two million Australians suffering from osteoporosis will now have access to Actonel Combi D, available on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) from 1 May.
Actonel Combi D will be the first osteoporosis treatment in Australia to combine an anti-osteoporosis agent with both calcium and vitamin D in one pack.
The new treatment combines a once-weekly dose of the bisphosphonate, Actonel (35mg risedronate), with the recommended doses of both calcium and vitamin D (1000 mg of elemental calcium and 880 IU of vitamin D3) in a daily sachet.
According to Professor Philip Sambrook, director of the Institute of Bone and Joint Research, Royal North Shore Hospital, adequate calcium and vitamin D intake is the key to ensuring that people with osteoporosis receive the full benefit of their existing anti-osteoporosis agent.
“Actonel is an effective treatment for osteoporosis and helps prevent fractures. However, calcium and vitamin D supplementation also plays a pivotal role in the management of osteoporosis,” he said.
“Therefore, new Actonel Combi D which combines the three – Actonel, calcium and vitamin D – in one handy pack is great news for people with osteoporosis and a step forward in managing a major health problem in Australia,” Professor Sambrook said.
