Awards
Committee of National Societies Medal
The Committee of National Societies Medal honours an individual who has made an important contribution to IOFs Committee of National Societies (CNS) through active participation in CNS activities and by expanding IOF’s message and outreach in his/her country.
The CNS, comprising more than 260 patient and medical societies, is IOF’s core membership committee. As a group it forms the world’s largest single network of national organizations dedicated to osteoporosis and musculoskeletal disorders. CNS societies are run by committed individuals who - often as volunteers – do invaluable work in raising public awareness and improving patient care at the national level. Their grassroots efforts in implementing IOF information campaigns locally have helped spread key prevention messages around the world.
IOF is pleased to honour the achievements of these noteworthy members of the IOF family with this prestigious annual award which will recognize an individual CNS representative who has made an important contribution to the cause of osteoporosis prevention through active participation in CNS activities and by expanding IOF’s messages and outreach in his/her country.
Professor Osvaldo D. Messina was awarded the 2023 IOF CNS Medal, presented at the WCO-IOF-ESCEO 2023 in Barcelona. He is President of the Rheumatology and Osteology Research Foundation, Argentina, and Director of the Rheumatology Department at the Cosme Argerich Hospital in Buenos Aires.
The 2022 CNS Medal was presented to Teréza Hough, CEO of the National Osteoporosis Foundation South Africa (NOFSA) on the occasion of the Virtual WCO-IOF-ESCEO 2022.
Dr Ngozi Njeze, MD, Founder and Chair of the Foundation for Awareness of Osteoporosis, Nigeria. Was awarded the CNS Medal on the occasion of the virtual Congress WCO-IOF-ESCEO 2021.
Dr Famida Jiwa, President and CEO of Osteoporosis Canada, and longstanding Chair of the CNS SubCommittee of Patient Societies, was awarded the CNS medal at the virtual WCO-IOF-ESCEO 2020.
Dr Varta Babalyon, President of the Armenian Osteoporosis Association, was awarded the 2019 IOF Committee of National Societies (CNS) Medal, presented on April 5, 2019 at the World Congress on Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases in Paris, France.
Prof. Bagher Larijani, the esteemed founding Director-General and Chief Scientific Officer of EMRI in Iran was recognized for his longstanding commitment to IOF and dedication to osteoporosis research, education and awareness at the WCO-IOF-ESCEO 2018 in Krakow, Poland.
Dr Thierry Thomas, Professor of Medicine and Head of the Rheumatology Department, University Hospital, St. Etienne, France, was awarded the CNS medal at the World Congress on Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases (WCO-IOF-ESCEO 2017) in Florence, Italy. He was recognized for his important contributions to bone health education and awareness in France, as well as for his work on secondary fracture prevention and the IOF Capture the Fracture programme.
Dr Elias Hanna Saba, Chief Executive Director of the Palestinian Osteoporosis Prevention Society (POPS), was awarded the International Osteoporosis Foundation’s CNS Medal during the World Congress on Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases (WCO-IOF-ESCEO 2016) in recognition of his longstanding contributions to bone health and osteoporosis awareness. Dr Saba is the Director of the Bone and Muscle Health Center in Hebron (under establishment). He was formerly the Head of Rheumatology and Rehabilitation, and Director of the Palestinian Osteoporosis Diagnostic Center in Bethlehem.
Dr Manju Chandran, Senior Endocrinologist and Director of the Osteoporosis and Bone Metabolism Unit at Singapore General Hospital, was awarded the IOF Committee of National Societies (CNS) Medal in 2015. The Award was presented on March 28th at the World Congress on Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis & Musculoskeletal Dieases held in Milan, Italy. Dr. Chandran is a leading osteoporosis expert and advocate in Singapore, who has helped promote healthcare professional education in the region, and has worked actively as a member of IOF's CNS.
On April 4, 2014 the first CNS Medal was awarded to Dr Vladyslav Povoroznyuk, President of the Ukrainian Osteoporosis Association. Dr Povoroznyuk is Head of the Department of Clinical Physiology and Pathology of the Locomotor Apparatus, Institute of Gerontology, Kiev, Ukraine. He has represented the Ukrainian Society at IOF meetings and events for more than a decade and has been involved in the Ukrainian versions of key resources, such as the IOF One-Minute Osteoporosis Risk Test and FRAX questionnaire. As well, he has carried out annual World Osteoporosis Day campaigns in the Ukraine and was a contributor to the 2010 IOF Eastern European and Central Asian Regional Audit.