The European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases (ESCEO) and the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) have awarded the ESCEO-IOF Pierre Delmas Medal to Dr Francesca Cerreta, Principal Scientific Officer of the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The Award was presented on April 10th at the opening of the World Congress on Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases, at which Dr Cerreta gave an honorary lecture, “Revival of the European Medicines Agency activities oriented towards older people.”

The ESCEO-IOF Pierre Delmas Medal recognizes a researcher who has made outstanding and major scientific contributions to the advancement of bone and mineral diseases. It is named after the late Professor Pierre Delmas, Professor of Medicine and Rheumatology at the University of Lyon, France, and Director of the INSERM research unit ‘Pathophysiology of Osteoporosis'. A co-founder and first president of IOF, Professor Delmas was an outstanding scientist who directed essential basic and clinical research in metabolic bone diseases, particularly in osteoporosis and osteoarthritis.

Professor Jean-Yves Reginster, ESCEO President and Congress Chairman, stated:

“We are honoured to present this prestigious Award to Dr Cerreta in recognition of her dedication and support of geriatric medicine. Through her leadership in the EMA geriatric medicines initiative, she has pioneered efforts to ensure safe, effective treatments for older adults—shaping the first regulatory guidance on frailty and transforming the way we assess medicines for aging populations. Her contributions exemplify the highest standards of scientific excellence and commitment to public health, making her a truly deserving recipient of the ESCEO-IOF Pierre Delmas Medal.”

About Francesca Cerreta

Dr Cerreta is Principal Scientific Officer of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. After qualifying from the University of Florence (Italy) she worked as a research scientist at the national research center CNRS laboratories in Caen (France), subsequently for Merck in the field of molecular biology and for Eli Lilly in schizophrenia clinical research. In 1996 she joined the European Medicines Agency. At EMA she has been active in different roles, including in innovative biotechnologies; Scientific Advice, where she coordinated the establishment of the parallel scientific advice procedure with FDA; and access to innovative medicines, including PRIME and Adaptive Pathways. Since 2011, she established and coordinates the EMA geriatric medicines initiative, aiming to improve the assessment of the benefit/risk balance of drugs in the older population, including the drafting of the first regulatory guidance on frailty. Additional current areas of work are the development of digital therapeutics and the implementation of the health technology assessment (HTA) regulation.

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About the World Congress on Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis & Musculoskeletal Diseases (WCO-IOF-ESCEO)
Held jointly by IOF and ESCEO, the WCO-IOF-ESCEO annual congress is the world’s largest forum for the presentation of clinical research and new advances in the prevention and management of musculoskeletal disorders, including osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, sarcopenia, and frailty. The WCO-IOF-ESCEO 2025 is being held from April 10-13, 2025 in Rome, Italy. For complete information visit www.wco-iof-esceo.org/  

The next WCO-IOF-ESCO is planned from April 16-19, 2026 in Prague, Czech Republic.  

About ESCEO
The European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases (ESCEO) is a non-profit organization, dedicated to a close interaction between clinical scientists dealing with rheumatic disorders, pharmaceutical industry developing new compounds in this field, regulators responsible for the registration of such drugs and health policymakers, to integrate the management of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis within the comprehensive perspective of health resources utilization. The objective of ESCEO is to provide practitioners with the latest clinical and economic information, allowing them to organize their daily practice, in an evidence-based medicine perspective, with a cost-conscious perception. www.esceo.org/

About IOF
The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) is the world's largest nongovernmental organization dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis and related musculoskeletal diseases. IOF’s network includes membership committees comprised of scientific experts, 340 patient, medical societies and universities in more than 150 countries, as well as over 1100 Fracture Liaison Services in all regions of the world. The IOF network is united in its mission to prioritize bone health and fracture prevention, striving toward a shared vision of a world free from fragility fractures, where healthy mobility is a reality for all. @iofbonehealth

Websites: www.osteoporosis.foundation ; www.capturethefracture.org ; www.worldosteoporosisday.org ; www.buildbetterbones.org