@rjd I stand corrected in my statement that drugs are not beneficial. After assessment and looking closer, this would be more accurate, you might agree-
This article is valid as a discussion piece.
It is not junk science, not misleading in the data it cites, and not outside mainstream medical thinking. It reflects a legitimate and ongoing debate about how much absolute fracture-risk reduction pharmaceutical osteoporosis therapies provide, especially in older adults and in people with differing risk profiles.
Drugs do reduce vertebral fracture risk at the population level.
The absolute benefit is modest.
Whether that benefit is “worth it” depends on the individual — tolerance, fall risk, functional status, and personal priorities.