Dr Caoimhe Hartley

And the current guidance is that under 65, we do a bone density DEXA scan if you are postmenopausal with risk factors for osteoporosis.

Now, in reality, they're very old guidelines.

They really are.

So we tend to do DEXA screening in your 50s in Ireland.

Yeah.

So we don't have a national screening service like we would with cervical check or breast check or even the FIT screening they do for bowel cancer.

All of that is national screening.

There's no national screening for ADEXA, even over 65, even though the guidance is everyone over 65 needs ADEXA.

So it's usually through your GP.

I think it's a discussion and you can go publicly for it.

Yeah, the waiting lists are longer publicly, but it's generally not something that is very time sensitive anyway.

So that's OK.

I wouldn't lose sleep if you're a woman in your late 50s, early 60s, relatively low risk and you're on a public waiting list for a DEXA.

I think that's fair enough.

Yes.

So combination of your vitamin D, calcium, ideally through your diet with the calcium and then plenty of weight bearing exercise.

Yeah.

80% of your bone density is genetically dictated.

Okay.

Which is really depressing.