Commentary on Proclamation

On March 21, 2002, President George W. Bush issued a proclamation designating the years 2002 through 2011 as the National Bone and Joint Decade. This proclamation was the culmination of several years of hard work and persistence by many individuals. The National Bone and Joint Decade is part of a global initiative to improve the quality of life for people with musculoskeletal conditions and to advance the understanding and treatment of these conditions through research, prevention, and education. The aim in this decade is to raise the awareness of the increasing societal impact of musculoskeletal injuries and disorders, to empower patients to participate in decisions about their care, to increase funding for prevention activities and research, and to promote cost-effective prevention and treatment of musculoskeletal injuries and disorders for patients of all ages. The ultimate goal is to reduce the burden that musculoskeletal conditions place on society1. The Bone and Joint Decade has been endorsed by the United Nations, thirty-nine governments, and more than 750 organizations, ministries, medical groups, and journals worldwide. In the United States, the initiative has been endorsed by fifty-nine health-care, physician, and patient organizations (the National Action Network) and all fifty states. The key to the success of the Decade is the development of collaborations among patient advocacy groups, musculoskeletal associations, care providers, and industry through the National Action Network to achieve the goals of the Decade. Especially in an era in which the aging of our population will result in new challenges for the provision of musculoskeletal care, the Decade is timely and necessary. The Decade provides us a golden opportunity to highlight the musculoskeletal system, the wide variety of maladies that affect it, and the range of treatment options that we can bring to bear on these diseases, injuries, and conditions that have an enormous financial and societal impact in the United States and around the world. Furthermore, we can call attention to the continuing research that will improve care and provide new preventative measures during the Decade and beyond. Throughout the Bone and Joint Decade, we have been communicating with other health-care provider groups, research entities, and patient advocacy organizations in new and productive ways. The ultimate winners in this effort are our patients. With wider awareness of musculoskeletal issues, empowered and educated patients will be active participants in their own care. Health-care providers, armed with new research and treatment options, will bring new knowledge and skills to the partnership that we have with our patients. As we enter the Bone and Joint Decade, we certainly have much to look forward to, and the President's support is a tremendous boost to our efforts.