Observations on the role of fracture mechanics in biology and medicine

•A review of developments in fracture mechanics as applied to biological materials and medical applications.•An outline of the development of low-modulus β-titanium alloys for orthopaedic implants.•Discussion of the role of fracture mechanics in the understanding of toughness and fatigue in human bone.•A review of recent work on fracture in biological materials with load-bearing functions.