The National Institutes of Health (NIH) sponsored a Consensus Development Conference on Osteoporosis Prevention, Diagnosis, and Therapy on March 27-29, 2000.

Osteoporosis is a major threat to Americans. In the United States today, 10 million individuals already have osteoporosis, and 18 million more have low bone mass, placing them at increased risk for this disorder. 

Osteoporosis, once thought to be a natural part of aging among women, is no longer considered age or gender-dependent. It is largely preventable due to the remarkable progress in the scientific understanding of its causes, diagnosis, and treatment. Optimization of bone health is a process that must occur throughout the lifespan in both males and females. Factors that influence bone health at all ages are essential to prevent osteoporosis and its devastating consequences.

To clarify the factors associated with prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, and to present the latest information about osteoporosis, the NIH organized this conference. After 1½ days of presentations and audience discussion addressing the latest in osteoporosis research, an independent, non-Federal consensus development panel weighed the scientific evidence and wrote this draft statement that was presented to the audience on the third day. The consensus development panel's statement addressed the following key questions:

 What is Osteoporosis and What are its Consequences?

......It is important to acknowledge a common misperception that osteoporosis is always the result of bone loss...

 How do Risks Vary among Different Segments of the Population?

 What Factors are Involved in Building and Maintaining Skeletal Health Throughout Life? 

 What is the Optimal Evaluation and Treatment of Osteoporosis and Fractures?

 What are the Directions for Future Research? 

The November 12, 2002; 167 (90100) edition of the Canadian Medical Association Journal included this new set of gudelines. This is the first time that actual evidence has been included in the

2002 clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis and management of osteoporosis in Canada 
Objective: 

To revise and expand the 1996 Osteoporosis Society of Canada clinical practice guidelines for the management of osteoporosis, incorporating recent advances in diagnosis, prevention and management of osteoporosis, and to identify and assess the evidence supporting the recommendations.

The most recent Australian statement is
Preventing osteoporosis: outcomes of the Australian FracturePrevention Summit
Cosponsored by Osteoporosis Australia and the National Prescribing Service

It was published in the 15 April 2002 edition of the Medical Journal of Australia and the .pdf version can be read through
http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/176_08_150402/s1-s16_fm.pdf  (in Dec 2002, the html version was in disarray but this may well have been corrected since then.)
 

The guidelines have been prepared by a writing group convened by the Royal College of Physicians and reviewed in a consensus workshop, after which a final version was prepared.  The summary and conclusions and recommendations in the document are systematically graded, according to the quality of information available, to indicate the level of evidence on which recommendations are based.