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Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to increase the availability of theosteoporosis drug Evista in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the treatment of osteoporosis in Northern Ireland.[155202]Angela Smith: Evista (generic name Raloxifene) is one of a number of interventions used to prevent and treat osteoporosis.Raloxifene is available to patients on health service prescription in Northern Ireland.The choice of any intervention in the treatment of osteoporosis is a clinical one taken in consultation with the patient and basedupon the best evidence available. Key factors include the nature and stage of disease progression, the risk and benefits oftreatment, the patient age and underlying co-morbidities.Clinical Resource Efficiency Support Team (CREST) Guidelines on the Prevention and Treatment of Osteoporosis were issued to HealthService professionals in Northern Ireland in 2001. The guidelines identify evidence-based strategies for the prevention andtreatment of osteoporosis, including population approaches to promote smoking avoidance, regular exercise and an adequate dietincluding calcium and Vitamin D. In addition, the guidelines promote selective case finding approaches to the identification andtreatment of those at risk of osteoporosis as well as those with established disease. |