Harmonization of Osteoporosis Guidelines: Paving the Way for Disrupting the Status Quo in Osteoporosis Management in the Asia Pacific

In the Asia Pacific (AP) region, osteoporosis and its consequence of fragility fractures are not widely recognized as a significant public health problem. Several challenges, including underdiagnosis and undertreatment, exist. The Asia Pacific Consortium on Osteoporosis (APCO) is a nonpartisan and apolitical organization comprising musculoskeletal experts and stakeholders from both private and public sectors who have united to develop tangible solutions for these substantive challenges. APCO's vision is to reduce the burden of osteoporosis and fragility fractures in the AP region. Heterogeneity in both scope and recommendations among the available clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) contribute to the large osteoporosis treatment gap in the Asia Pacific. APCO has therefore developed a pan Asia‐Oceania harmonized set of standards of care (The Framework), for the screening, diagnosis, and management of osteoporosis. First, a structured analysis of the 18 extant AP CPGs was completed. APCO is currently embarking on country‐specific engagement plans to embed the Framework in clinical practice in the AP region. This is through partnering with regulatory bodies and national guidelines development authorities, peer‐to‐peer healthcare professional education, and conducting pathfinder audits to benchmark current osteoporosis services against the Framework standards. The principles underpinning the harmonization of guidelines in the AP region can also be utilized in other parts of the world with similar socioeconomic diversity and heterogeneity of healthcare resources.