3rd International Osteoporosis Summit kicked off Armenia hosts more than 60 leading specialists in the field

The 3rd International Osteoporosis Summit launched on October 8 at the Marriott Hotel bringing together more than 60 healthcare specialists from 25 countries. This is the third international summit in the field and was initiated by Armenian Osteoporosis Association and Dr. John P. Bilezikian, Professor of Medicine of Columbia University. Dr. Varta Babalyan, President of the Armenian Osteoporosis Association, highlighted that leading specialists from all over the world arrived Yerevan to take part in the Summit.

 
‘’ Since 2016, Armenia has become a center of an international dialogue about osteoporosis where leading health care professionals from around the world gather to discuss major issues in the field of osteoporosis and share their views and experiences. Today, we focus on vitamin D deficiency worldwide, and particularly in Armenia. On October 9, during the 13th Annual International Osteoporosis Symposium, world-renowned professionals delivered speeches addressing the causes of osteoporosis, prevention, treatment and management of osteoporosis, newest methods, as well as they talked about the importance of vitamin D and the possible consequences of its deficiency.

I would also like to add that Armenia did not have a complete indicator of vitamin D deficiency, but by the end of the year we will have the results of a survey conducted among 1350 women and thus will have a complete indicator. This research was conducted thanks to Dr. John P. Bilezikian’’.

During our conversation, Dr. John P. Bilezikian, Founding President of the Osteoporosis Center, Professor of Medicine of Columbia University, talked about the importance and the role of the media for information exchange in the field of osteoporosis.

'' For example, I should note that 10 years ago it became clear that the population of the USA was not getting enough vitamin D and did not receive the required amount of vitamin D. Currently, approximately 65% of the population takes necessary amount of vitamin D. We have succeeded to record this result thanks to the mass media: television, radio and online media. They raised the public awareness about the risks of vitamin D deficiency highlighting that it may have a negative impact on bone health and will lead to osteoporosis.

I should note that the Osteoporosis Center in Armenia, led by Dr. Varta Babalyan, conducts awareness trainings for local professionals, particularly for regional doctors, on healthy lifestyle and how to teach patients to take care of their own bone system. However, this is not enough, the mass media should also widely disseminate relevant information  and raise public awareness, so that we can take concrete measures to solve this problem''.

This year the summit hosted Dr. Philippe Halbout, Executive Director of the International Osteoporosis Foundation, and Rene Rizzoli, Executive Board representative of the IOF. We talked with Rene Rizzoli, Executive Board representative of the IOF, about the activities of foundation.

'' The International Osteoporosis Foundation was founded in 1998. This Center, which has been operating for two decades, plays the role of an "umbrella", which has brought together over 250 medical organizations and associations under its auspices. Currently the foundation is focused on promoting research implementation aimed at the prevention of osteoporosis.

Referring to the 13th Annual Osteoporosis Symposium, I must say that this is a good chance to not only enrich professional skills, but also to build new connections".

During the 3rd International Osteoporosis Summit and the 13th Annual Osteoporosis Symposium, lectures were delivered by renowned specialists from USA, Russia, Brazil, Lebanon and Armenia.

Ghada El Hajj Fuleihan, a professor of endocrinology from Lebanon, shared her experience and views on osteoporosis with us in our conversation.

'' When I moved from Boston to Beirut, I noticed vitamin D deficiency in my body. This was strange to me, as Beirut has 300 sunny days per year. As a result of research, my team revealed that the problem was mainly found in children, women who gave birth and the elderly.

We found that the reason for vitamin D deficiency is that there aren't many playgrounds there and children mostly play indoors. In addition to this, people in Lebanon do not use milk, where as cloths always cover the whole body, preventing it from receiving some of the vitamin D from sunlight.

We carried out awareness campaigns, the positive impact of which we felt after a while. People have started to treat vitamin D deficiency through supplements or proper nutrition. Today, about 50% of the population has a vitamin D deficiency, where as in the past the indicator was much higher.

I would like to note that Armenia can also start to fight this problem through the organization of mass awareness campaigns, and I am confident that new mechanisms of solution will be developed during this symposium''.

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