Osteoporosis a continuing challenge for GPs in the UK, says MSD

Results of a general practitioner survey have highlighted the challenges facing doctors in treating osteoarthritis in the UK, noted Merck Sharp & Dohme (a subsidiary of US drug major Merck & Co), while launching a new lower dose, 30mg tablet of its non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, Aroxia (etoricoxib), which it believes addresses some of these problems.

Of the 200 GPs surveyed, the average number of OA patients seen in a week was 17; however some GPs saw more than 50, but 85% of these were existing OA patients returning to see their GP. As the average GP had 102.3 consultations a week, OA accounted for approximately 16% of GPs' workload and in some cases, almost 50%.