Hit enter to search or ESC to close
Trending Now
Bone health often goes unnoticed until something goes wrong. To encourage Malaysians to pay closer attention to their bones, BREGO Life Sciences has brought preventive screening closer to local communities through its BREGO Cares 2026: Stronger Bones, Better Health initiative.
Launched in May 2026 in conjunction with Osteoporosis Awareness Month, the nationwide programme introduced AI-assisted bone health screening at 18 primary care clinics, alongside Vitamin D testing at another 24 clinics across 11 states in Malaysia. Together, these activities reached around 2,000 people.
One of the programme's key findings came from three participating clinics, where 70 out of 149 individuals screened, approximately 47%, were flagged for possible osteopenia or osteoporosis risk using VeriOsteo OP, an AI-assisted bone health screening solution.
The findings were recorded at Klinik Adam Hawa Paroi, O2 Klinik Sri Petaling and Klinik Prima Medik Temerloh. Across the wider programme, approximately 1,000 people underwent AI-assisted screening, while an estimated 900 to 1,200 received Vitamin D testing.
Importantly, being flagged during screening does not mean someone has been diagnosed with osteoporosis. Instead, it helps identify individuals who may benefit from further medical assessment.
Launched in May 2026 in conjunction with Osteoporosis Awareness Month, the nationwide programme introduced AI-assisted bone health screening at 18 primary care clinics, alongside Vitamin D testing at another 24 clinics across 11 states in Malaysia. Together, these activities reached around 2,000 people.
One of the programme's key findings came from three participating clinics, where 70 out of 149 individuals screened, approximately 47%, were flagged for possible osteopenia or osteoporosis risk using VeriOsteo OP, an AI-assisted bone health screening solution.
The findings were recorded at Klinik Adam Hawa Paroi, O2 Klinik Sri Petaling and Klinik Prima Medik Temerloh. Across the wider programme, approximately 1,000 people underwent AI-assisted screening, while an estimated 900 to 1,200 received Vitamin D testing.
Importantly, being flagged during screening does not mean someone has been diagnosed with osteoporosis. Instead, it helps identify individuals who may benefit from further medical assessment.
Dr Danny Wong, Managing Director of BREGO Life Sciences, explained that osteoporosis can develop silently, leaving individuals unaware of potential bone health issues until a fracture occurs.
“Osteoporosis can progress silently, meaning people may feel well without realising their bones could be at risk. Through BREGO Cares, we wanted to bring bone health assessment closer to communities and encourage earlier action,” he said.
He added that screening could help identify those who may require further assessment before a fracture becomes the first warning sign.
“Osteoporosis can progress silently, meaning people may feel well without realising their bones could be at risk. Through BREGO Cares, we wanted to bring bone health assessment closer to communities and encourage earlier action,” he said.
He added that screening could help identify those who may require further assessment before a fracture becomes the first warning sign.
Making Bone Health Screening More Accessible
Rather than requiring everyone to visit a specialist centre, BREGO Cares worked with primary care clinics to provide screening options based on their existing facilities.
Clinics equipped with X-ray facilities used VeriOsteo OP, an AI-assisted software solution that analyses existing chest X-rays to flag potential bone health risks. Meanwhile, clinics without X-ray facilities offered Vitamin D fingerstick testing and bone health education.
This approach addresses an existing challenge in Malaysia. Previous research involving 350 Malaysian primary care doctors found that only 27.7% practised osteoporosis screening, while 90.6% cited limited access to bone mineral densitometry as a barrier.
With Malaysia's population ageing, awareness of bone health is becoming increasingly important. According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia, those aged 65 and above represented 8.4% of the population in 2026, compared with 8.0% in 2025.
The International Osteoporosis Foundation's 2025 Asia-Pacific Regional Audit also projected that hip fractures in Malaysia could increase more than threefold by 2050.
Rather than requiring everyone to visit a specialist centre, BREGO Cares worked with primary care clinics to provide screening options based on their existing facilities.
Clinics equipped with X-ray facilities used VeriOsteo OP, an AI-assisted software solution that analyses existing chest X-rays to flag potential bone health risks. Meanwhile, clinics without X-ray facilities offered Vitamin D fingerstick testing and bone health education.
This approach addresses an existing challenge in Malaysia. Previous research involving 350 Malaysian primary care doctors found that only 27.7% practised osteoporosis screening, while 90.6% cited limited access to bone mineral densitometry as a barrier.
With Malaysia's population ageing, awareness of bone health is becoming increasingly important. According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia, those aged 65 and above represented 8.4% of the population in 2026, compared with 8.0% in 2025.
The International Osteoporosis Foundation's 2025 Asia-Pacific Regional Audit also projected that hip fractures in Malaysia could increase more than threefold by 2050.
Another challenge highlighted by participating clinics was encouraging people to consider their bone health even when they felt healthy and experienced no symptoms.
Dr Ahmad Faris Bin Mohamed, General Practitioner at Klinik Hayat Subang Perdana, noted that osteoporosis often goes unnoticed until a fracture occurs. He explained that making screening more accessible through primary care could help people recognise potential risks and understand when further assessment may be necessary.
Preliminary observations from BREGO Cares also suggested that individuals aged 45 and above, particularly post-menopausal women, may warrant greater attention when it comes to bone health assessment. However, the programme's complete participant profiles and outcomes are still being consolidated.
Dr Ahmad Faris Bin Mohamed, General Practitioner at Klinik Hayat Subang Perdana, noted that osteoporosis often goes unnoticed until a fracture occurs. He explained that making screening more accessible through primary care could help people recognise potential risks and understand when further assessment may be necessary.
Preliminary observations from BREGO Cares also suggested that individuals aged 45 and above, particularly post-menopausal women, may warrant greater attention when it comes to bone health assessment. However, the programme's complete participant profiles and outcomes are still being consolidated.
Continuing Community Healthcare Efforts
BREGO Cares is part of BREGO Life Sciences' ongoing corporate social responsibility efforts, focusing on practical healthcare initiatives that respond to community needs.
Following the 2026 programme, the company plans to continue supporting bone health awareness and early assessment through partnerships with primary care clinics and community organisations. It is also exploring other healthcare initiatives based on emerging needs.
“What we have learned through BREGO Cares is that bringing preventive healthcare closer to the community can create opportunities for earlier awareness and action,” said Dr Wong.
He added that BREGO hopes to continue working with healthcare providers and partners to identify where practical support can make a meaningful difference.
BREGO Cares is part of BREGO Life Sciences' ongoing corporate social responsibility efforts, focusing on practical healthcare initiatives that respond to community needs.
Following the 2026 programme, the company plans to continue supporting bone health awareness and early assessment through partnerships with primary care clinics and community organisations. It is also exploring other healthcare initiatives based on emerging needs.
“What we have learned through BREGO Cares is that bringing preventive healthcare closer to the community can create opportunities for earlier awareness and action,” said Dr Wong.
He added that BREGO hopes to continue working with healthcare providers and partners to identify where practical support can make a meaningful difference.
