Bone failure or osteoporosis: what’s in a name?

In clinical practice we know when an organ system is not working properly and we call it by its appropriate name: organ failure. The term is straightforward and treatment follows accordingly. A similar approach is needed in the way we approach osteoporosis. By introducing the term ‘bone failure’ and distinguishing between osteoporosis as a risk factor and bone failure as a disease, we set the stage for better clinical management.