Tens of thousands of postmenopausal women could benefit from a new bone-strengthening drug, says the drug regulator National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

Abaloparatide can protect against osteoporosis, a bone-weakening disease that carries a high risk of bone fractures in old age.

According to NICE, it will be available on the NHS within the next three months.

The injection, which is available in the form of a prefilled pen that patients can administer to themselves once a day at home, stimulates cells to form new bone.

There are already other treatments for osteoporosis, but this new treatment is an alternative for people who have not responded to other treatments or who cannot tolerate them.

Alison Smith, who was diagnosed with osteoporosis in 2011, told BBC R4’s Today programme that the new treatment would make a “huge difference” to many patients who are “hesitant” to take currently available drugs “because of the side effects”.

According to Dr Nicky Peel, clinical trustee of the Royal Osteoporosis Society and a bone metabolist based in Sheffield, the new drug is a “very well-tolerated treatment” for most people.

Speaking on the Today programme, Dr Peel said that some people experienced nausea, headaches and heart palpitations, often in the early stages of treatment, but that abaloparatide was suitable for most people at high risk of bone fractures.

However, she warned that the “challenge” was to provide patients with access to “appropriate diagnostic services” to determine their need for the drug.

If doctors believe that patients are at sufficiently high risk of a bone fracture, they will be offered drug treatment.

The drug’s manufacturer, Theramex, has agreed an undisclosed price with the NHS.

Bone strength reaches its peak around the mid-20s.

From then on, the number naturally decreases.

However, if bone loss is severe, even minor impacts or falls can easily lead to fractures.

Adequate vitamin D and calcium intake is also important for healthy bones. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) around the time of menopause can also be helpful.

Due to hormonal changes during menopause, women are at higher risk of developing osteoporosis than men.

Estrogen levels drop, which can lead to weakening of the bones.

Prof Jonathan Benger, chief medical officer and deputy chief executive of NICE, said: “The independent committee has heard from patients how debilitating osteoporosis can be.”

“Our focus is on providing access to care that improves quality of life while providing value to the taxpayer.”

In the UK, more than three million people suffer from osteoporosis.

The prevalence increases significantly with age – about 2% of 50-year-old women are affected, compared to almost half of 80-year-olds. says NICE.

More than one in three women and one in five men suffer one or more osteoporotic fractures during their lifetime.