Expressing support for designation of the month of May 2026 as “Osteoporosis Prevention and Awareness Month”.

Expressing support for designation of the month of May 2026 as “Osteoporosis Prevention and Awareness Month”.

Whereas osteoporosis is a highly prevalent and costly chronic disease that causes bones to weaken and fractures to be more likely;

Whereas an estimated 54,000,000 people of the United States have osteoporosis or low bone mass that increases their risk for osteoporosis;

Whereas approximately 1 in 2 women and up to 1 in 4 men age 50 and older will break a bone due to osteoporosis;

Whereas these fractures lead to more than 500,000 hospital admissions, 800,000 emergency room visits, 2,500,000 office visits, and nearly 180,000 nursing home admissions in the United States each year;

Whereas osteoporosis has significant consequences on older adults, with approximately 1,800,000 Medicare beneficiaries suffering approximately 2,100,000 osteoporotic fractures every year;

Whereas osteoporosis is one of the costliest chronic diseases with the total national annual cost of osteoporotic fractures among Medicare beneficiaries estimated at $57,000,000,000 and projected to rise over $95,000,000,000 in 2040 as the population ages;

Whereas osteoporotic fractures have been cited as a significant factor in opioid addiction rates among seniors as 23 percent of hip fracture patients became chronic opioid users after surgery;

Whereas osteoporosis is a “silent” disease because many people do not have symptoms and may not even know they have the disease until they break a bone;

Whereas only 8 percent of people are screened for osteoporosis within 6 months of a fracture, only about 20 percent of hip fracture patients receive medication proven to greatly reduce the risk of a second fracture, and few who suffer fractures receive model post-fracture care proven to reduce subsequent fracture risk; and

Whereas it is crucial to raise awareness about osteoporosis and bone health among the public of the United States and health professionals: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate—

(1) designates May 2026 as “Osteoporosis Prevention and Awareness Month”;

(2) affirms the dedication of the Senate to—

(A) raising awareness among the public and health professionals about the importance of bone health throughout a person's lifespan and steps that can be taken to reduce the risk of osteoporotic fractures; and

(B) reducing the toll that osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures take on individuals, the United States, and taxpayers; and

(3) commends the dedication of the States, localities, family members, friends, organizations, volunteers, researchers, and caregivers across the United States who are working to raise awareness about bone health and osteoporosis, provide optimal care for those with osteoporosis, and reduce the toll osteoporosis takes on the United States.