The Russian Association on Osteoporosis (RAOP) has reported on two key public health initiatives in St. Petersburg, Russia: a targeted osteoporosis care program to reduce fracture risk among older men, and a citywide effort to fortify foods with vitamin D to prevent deficiency and related health issues.

On October 23, 2025, a tri-party agreement "Organization of Accessible and High-Quality Medical Care for Osteoporosis as a Factor in Increasing Life Expectancy in the Male Population," was signed between the Nevsky District Administration of St. Petersburg (Head of Administration A.V. Gulchuk), a representative of the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg (Deputy of the Legislative Assembly A.R. Melnikova), and the Russian Association on Osteoporosis (RAOP President Professor O.M. Lesnyak).

The project will provide the successful implementation of a technology for organizing care for the population of the Nevsky District, which was run from 2017 to 2022 and demonstrated a two-fold reduction in the risk of fractures in the identified high-risk group. This initiative was highly praised by the Commission on Social Policy and Healthcare of the Legislative Assembly, and its implementation is being realized in other districts of the city. 

To be implemented from 2025 to 2027, the project involves the active identification of older men suffering from osteoporosis through a broad information campaign. It also introduces a new risk assessment technology developed by scientists of the Russian Association on Osteoporosis into medical practice.

Vitamin D Fortification

On December 12, 2025, a meeting of the Expert Medical Council under the Standing Committee on Social Policy and Healthcare of the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg was held. The meeting was dedicated to organizing mass prevention of vitamin D deficiency in St. Petersburg through food fortification. The meeting was initiated by RAOP and Legislative Assembly Deputy A.R. Melnikova.

It was attended by RAOP President Professor O.M. Lesnyak (I.I. Mechnikov North-Western State Medical University) and RAOP Presidium Member Professor T.L. Karonova (Almazov National Medical Research Center). The decision was made on the feasibility of producing vitamin D-fortified foods in St. Petersburg, along with a simultaneous information campaign aimed at raising awareness among city residents about diseases caused by vitamin D deficiency and methods of preventing it.

The International Osteoporosis Foundation congratulates RAOP on its outstanding policy efforts to advance primary and secondary prevention.