Women are quitting vital drugs that treat the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis because of ‘dangerous misinformation’ about their side effects being spread on Facebook, experts have warned.
Scaremongering posts seen by The Mail on Sunday falsely claim the drugs, known as bisphosphonates, are equivalent to ‘rust remover’. Others say the tablets actually worsen, rather than prevent, the disease.
Yet failing to take the medication means patients face serious, life-changing fractures, permanent disability and death, doctors say.
Osteoporosis mainly affects women –