Amgen Invites the general public to receive free Screenings to help predict and prevent osteoporosis while setting an Official World Record for most osteoporosis screenings conducted in a 24-hour period.

 Osteoporosis-Screening Events to Take Place in Ten Countries on May 5, in Conjunction with Guinness World Records®

The South African leg of this world record breaking event will take place at Sandton City on 5 May, from the hours of 08h00 – 18h00

In recognition of the upcoming Mother’s Day holiday, Amgen has joined forces with the National Osteoporosis Foundation of South African to educate women and their loved ones about the serious risks of untreated osteoporosis, and to encourage them to get screened to determine if they are at risk of having the disease and suffering an osteoporosis-related fracture.

The free screenings will be hosted at the Sandton City Edgars Upper Level Court on 5 May and people of all ages and gender are welcome to attend.

“Every mom’s bone health counts– in fact, everyone’s bone health counts,” says Dr. Vuyelwa Ndungane-Tlakula, Amgen South Africa Medical Director… “For this reason, Amgen aims to set an official world record for the most osteoporosis screenings for an osteoporosis campaign in 24 hours, with a goal of conducting osteoporosis screening tests on at least 3000 people in 10 countries around the world.”

Amgen is partnering with Guinness World Records, the global authority on record-setting, to set an official record for most osteoporosis screenings in a 24-hour period, as part of a health education campaign.

Osteoporosis – the Silent Disease

Throughout a women’s life, estrogen plays an important role in replacing older porous bone with newer dense bone. However, during menopause, her body starts to produce less estrogen.1 Over time this can lead to osteoporosis—a medical condition that weakens your bones and makes them more likely to break.2

 Osteoporosis is often called a “silent” disease, because those afflicted can’t see or feel their bone loss. As a result, many people don’t know they have it until they break a bone. 3 One out of three women over 50 years old will break a bone due to osteoporosis in her lifetime. 2

“Even when you’re feeling great on the outside, your bones could be telling a different story on the inside,” said Tereza Hough, CEO of the National Osteoporosis Foundation of South Africa (NOFSA), “If ignored, osteoporosis can jeopardise your ability to do things you love and get around on your own, particularly when bone breaks occur in critical parts of the body, including the hip, pelvis and spine.”

Once a woman breaks a bone due to osteoporosis, she is up to 10-times more likely to break another bone within her lifetime. 4-8

“Even what seems like a minor fracture, such as one in the wrist, can be a sign of more debilitating fractures to come— like those in the hip or spine,” Hough added. “It’s not just a fracture, it’s a warning sign. No fracture should be ignored; instead, talk to your doctor about your osteoporosis risk, and how you can take charge of your bone health.”

About Amgen

Amgen is committed to unlocking the potential of biology for patients suffering from serious illnesses by discovering, developing, manufacturing and delivering innovative human therapeutics. This approach begins by using tools like advanced human genetics to unravel the complexities of disease and understand the fundamentals of human biology.

Amgen focuses on areas of high unmet medical need and leverages its biologics manufacturing expertise to strive for solutions that improve health outcomes and dramatically improve people’s lives. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen has grown to be the world’s largest independent biotechnology company, has reached millions of patients around the world and is developing a pipeline of medicines with breakaway potential.

About NOFSA (National Osteoporosis Foundation South Africa)

NOFSA is the only non-profit, voluntary health organisation dedicated to promoting lifelong bone health. We focus on reducing the widespread prevalence of osteoporosis while working to find a cure for the disease, and by supporting research and developing programmes of education and advocacy.

For more information, visit www.amgen.com and www.osteoporosis.org.za

About Guinness World Records

GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS (GWR) is the global authority on record-breaking achievement. First published in 1955, the iconic annual Guinness World Records books have sold over 141 million copies in over 40 languages and in more than 100 countries. Additionally, the Guinness World Records: Gamer’s Edition, first published in 2007, has sold more than 4 million copies to date.

Guinness World Records’ worldwide television programmes reach over 750 million viewers annually and more than 3.7 million people subscribe to the GWR YouTube channel, which enjoys more than 328 million views per year. The GWR website receives over 20.5 million visitors annually, and we have over 15 million fans on Facebook.

The Guinness World Records commercial sales division provides customized consultancy services for some of the world’s top brands and agencies to help place record breaking at the heart of their marketing campaigns, employee-engagement programmes, and live and experiential events.