Amgen invites the general public to help set an official Guinness World Records™ title for the most osteoporosis screenings within 24 hours and help increase awareness about osteoporosis

• Osteoporosis-Screening Events to Take Place in Ten Countries on May 5th, 2019 in Conjunction with Guinness World Records^™
• Local event to be held 11 am – 7 pm at Square One Shopping Centre, 100 City Centre Dr, Mississauga

MISSISSAUGA, ON, May 5, 2019 /CNW/ - Amgen Canada has joined forces with YouAreUNLTD to educate the public about the risks of osteoporosis, and to encourage them to think about if they are at risk of having the disease and suffering an osteoporosis-related fracture.

Amgen will attempt to set a Guinness World Records title for the most osteoporosis screenings in a 24-hour period, as part of a health awareness campaign. An official adjudicator from Guinness World Records will be on site at the Amgen-sponsored May 5th, 2019 event, to verify the number of screenings conducted.

"Amgen is a science-based company, so it is important to us to involve the Guinness World Records organization to endorse the count of osteoporosis screenings that will be conducted during our 'Break Records, Not Bones' health awareness campaign," said Sebastian Sorsaburu, Amgen Vice President, Medical, for Amgen's Intercontinental Region.

Amgen Canada and YouAreUNLTD will be onsite today at Square One Shopping Centre in Mississauga from 11 am – 7 pm. The mall is located at 100 City Centre Dr. in Mississauga.

Osteoporosis – the Silent Disease

Throughout a woman's life, estrogen plays an important role in replacing older porous bone with newer denser bone. However, during menopause, her body starts to produce less estrogen.ⁱ Over time this can lead to osteoporosis — a disease that weakens bones and makes them more likely to break.ⁱⁱ

Osteoporosis is often called a "silent" disease, because bone loss can't be seen or felt. As a result, many people don't know they have it until they break a bone.ⁱⁱⁱ

During their lifetime, at least one in three women and one in five men will suffer a broken bone from osteoporosis.^iv

"Even when you're feeling great on the outside, your bones could be telling a different story on the inside," said Dr. Ponda Motsepe-Ditshego, Executive Medical Director, Amgen Canada. "If ignored, osteoporosis can jeopardize your ability to do things you love and get around on your own, particularly when bone breaks occur in critical parts of the body, including the hip, pelvis and spine."

Once a woman breaks a bone due to osteoporosis, she is much more likely to break another bone within her lifetime.^{v vi vii viii ix}

Approximately 30,000 hip fractures occur in Canada each year, and over one quarter of these occur in men.^x

"Even what seems like a minor fracture, such as one in the wrist, can be a sign of more debilitating fractures to come — like those in the hip or spine," Dr. Motsepe-Ditshego added. "It's not just a fracture, it's a warning sign. No fracture should be ignored; instead, talk to your doctor about your osteoporosis risk, and how you can take charge of your bone health."

About Amgen

Amgen focuses on areas of high unmet medical need and leverages its biologics manufacturing expertise to strive for solutions that improve health outcomes and dramatically improve people's lives. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen has grown to be the world's largest independent biotechnology company, has reached millions of patients around the world and is developing a pipeline of medicines with breakaway potential.

For more information, visit www.amgen.ca

About Guinness World Records

GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS (GWR) is the global authority on record-breaking achievement. First published in 1955, the iconic annual Guinness World Records books have sold over 141 million copies in over 40 languages and in more than 100 countries. Additionally, the Guinness World Records: Gamer's Edition, first published in 2007, has sold more than 4 million copies to date.

Guinness World Records' worldwide television programmes reach over 750 million viewers annually and more than 3.7 million people subscribe to the GWR YouTube channel, which enjoys more than 328 million views per year. The GWR website receives over 20.5 million visitors annually, and we have over 15 million fans on Facebook.

The Guinness World Records commercial sales division provides customized consultancy services for some of the world's top brands and agencies to help place record breaking at the heart of their marketing campaigns, employee-engagement programmes, and live and experiential events.

About YouAreUNLTD

YouAreUNLTD is purpose-driven publishing brand aimed at creating a movement to inspire all people to believe in the positivity of aging. We are changing the conversation around aging through the creation and distribution of content that bust myths, informs and educates our audience on the amazing products, services and solutions that empower powerful aging.

For more information visit: www.youareunltd.com Social media: @youareunltd

SOURCE Amgen Canada