Pooling international data to understand long-term bisphosphonate use and atypical femur fractures
Official title: Pooling International Cohort Studies of Long-Term Bisphosphonate Use and Atypical Femur Fractures
Funded at University of California, San Francisco · NIH-11624856 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A large study will combine data from several groups to better understand how long-term bisphosphonate use relates to atypical femur fractures and how this varies among different groups of people.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | September 19, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $33,498 |
| NIH project number | 3R01AR082562-05S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11624856 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals, especially postmenopausal women, who have used or may use bisphosphonates for osteoporosis.
✕Less likely to help
People who do not have osteoporosis or are not considering bisphosphonate therapy are unlikely to benefit.
What this research studies
This project brings together individual-level data from three big population studies, with radiographically confirmed AFFs and detailed medicine histories. Researchers will harmonize definitions and use centralized statistical analyses to explore how long-term bisphosphonate treatment and drug holidays influence AFF risk. The goal is to identify which subgroups of women are at higher or lower risk so doctors and patients can make better, personalized treatment decisions. The work could help balance the benefits of fracture prevention against the small risk of rare but serious fractures. Overall, the study aims to inform safer, more tailored use of bisphosphonates in osteoporosis care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, it could help clinicians tailor bisphosphonate use to individual risk, potentially reducing rare AFFs while protecting against common fractures.
How similar studies have gone: The project builds on large prior cohorts and uses validated AFF data, suggesting that harmonized, pooled analyses can yield robust risk insights.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bauer, Douglas C — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Bauer, Douglas C
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.