Claimed effect · Teriparatide

Does Teriparatide help with vertebral fracture risk?

A
Grade A — established in humans1 large RCT (n=1,637, median 21 mo) · effect size: large
Short answerEstablished in humans. 1 large RCT (n=1,637, median 21 mo) point the same way: a large effect. New spinal fractures in 14% on placebo against 5% and 4% on the two teriparatide doses — a relative risk of about 0.35. The trial was stopped early, on a rat osteosarcoma signal rather than efficacy, and still showed this.

What the studies show

New spinal fractures in 14% on placebo against 5% and 4% on the two teriparatide doses — a relative risk of about 0.35. The trial was stopped early, on a rat osteosarcoma signal rather than efficacy, and still showed this.

“New vertebral fractures occurred in 14 percent of the women in the placebo group and in 5 percent and 4 percent, respectively, of the women in the 20-microg and 40-microg parathyroid hormone groups; the respective relative risks of fracture in the 20-microg and 40-microg groups, as compared with the placebo group, were 0.35 and 0.31 (95 percent confidence intervals, 0.22 to 0.55 and 0.19 to 0.50).”

Verbatim, from the abstractNeer RM, Arnaud CD, Zanchetta JR, et al. Effect of parathyroid hormone (1-34) on fractures and bone mineral density in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. N Engl J Med, 2001

Several well-run randomised trials in people, pointing the same way. You can plan around this. It still says nothing about whether the effect is worth the side effects for you.

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In context

Teriparatide is the first 34 amino acids of human parathyroid hormone, given as a daily injection for severe osteoporosis. Continuous parathyroid hormone strips bone; a brief daily pulse builds it — which is why the drug works and the hormone's excess does not. In the 1,637-woman trial behind its approval, new spinal fractures fell from 14% to 5% over about 21 months and non-spinal fragility fractures roughly halved. It is a prescription medicine, approved everywhere, with a long safety record; the original two-year lifetime limit was lifted by the FDA in 2020.

Teriparatide is approved (rx). Legal status differs by country — see the regulation section or the jurisdiction pages.

Questions

Is Teriparatide proven to help with vertebral fracture risk?
Yes, as far as human trials can show it: 1 large RCT (n=1,637, median 21 mo). LYO grades this outcome A.
What studies are behind the grade?
New spinal fractures in 14% on placebo against 5% and 4% on the two teriparatide doses — a relative risk of about 0.35. The trial was stopped early, on a rat osteosarcoma signal rather than efficacy, and still showed this.
Is Teriparatide approved for this?
Teriparatide is an approved medicine (Approved (Rx)); whether this particular outcome is a licensed indication is stated on the compound page's regulation section.

Other outcomes for Teriparatide

Written and maintained by LYO Research — how pages are written and checked. Reviewed 10 September 2026. Grades count human evidence only; see how LYO grades. Not medical advice. Correct this page →