The IOF Committee of Scientific Advisors (CSA) Medal of Achievement has been presented to Dr Patricia Clark at the World Congress on Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis & Musculoskeletal Diseases (WCO-IOF-ESCEO 2024), being held in London, UK from April 11-14, 2024.

The CSA Medal of Achievement honours individuals who have significantly advanced the field of osteoporosis through their original and outstanding scientific contributions, and whose work has helped to increase understanding and awareness of osteoporosis. Candidates are nominated by members of IOF's CSA and the winner selected by the Chair of the CSA with the approval of the IOF Executive Committee.

Professor Eugene McCloskey, Chairman of the IOF CSA, stated: “I am delighted to present the 2024 IOF CSA Medal of Achievement to Patricia Clark, a much-respected colleague and dedicated, highly active member of the International Osteoporosis Foundation for more than a decade. As a researcher and educator at the prestigious National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Professor Clark has made major contributions to the understanding and management of osteoporosis and rheumatic diseases in Mexico and throughout Latin America, for which she has been recognized by the UNAM as one of the 10 most internationally cited scientific authors in the field of medical and biomedical sciences. Among many other achievements, she has played a pivotal role in advancing the FRAX tool for Mexico, in the publication of the recent IOF Latin American Audit, and in promoting secondary fracture prevention across Mexico and the region.”

Professor Clark stated: “I am deeply honoured to have received this prestigious IOF award. It is a privilege to continue serving this extraordinary organisation. IOF exemplifies the power of working together as we drive change for the benefit of people with osteoporosis around the world.”  

About Professor Patricia Clark
Dr Patricia Clark is a rheumatologist and Clinical Epidemiologist and the current Head of the Clinical Epidemiology Research Unit at the Federico Gómez Children's Hospital of Mexico - School of Medicine UNAM where she is a researcher and coordinates the clinical epidemiology area of the master's and doctoral programs in medical sciences at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). A graduate of the School of Medicine at La Salle University, she specialized in rheumatology at the General Hospital of Mexico and received Master's and Doctoral degrees in Medical Sciences at McMaster University in Canada and the National Autonomous University of Mexico, and her postdoctoral fellowship at the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine from the School of Medicine at the University of California in San Diego (UCSD).

Osteoporosis and bone health in Mexico and Latin America are among her major areas of research. As an author and co-author, she has published multiple research articles and coordinated multicentre research studies in Latin America. Other areas of research include nutrition and body composition. Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis are further areas of interest as she is currently the Director of the Cochrane Affiliate Center at the Faculty of Medicine at her University.

Professor Clark has been an International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) Board member since 2012 and is a member of the IOF Scientific Committee and the CSA Working Group on Epidemiology. Professor Clark has been instrumental in the advancement of the FRAX tool in the region and in Mexico, where it has been adopted by the Health Information System in Mexico since 2016. She is part of the Editorial Committee of Osteoporosis International and has been distinguished in Mexico with her appointment as National Emeritus Researcher by the National System of Researchers of CONAHCYT. She is a regular member of the National Academy of Medicine and the Mexican Academy of Sciences. Currently, Professor Clark is collaborating with the WHO program of Healthy Aging across the life course.

She has published more than 140 articles, with 18,000 international citations. She received the Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz medal at UNAM for her academic career and the Medal of Merit in Medical Sciences 2016 from the Legislative Assembly of Mexico City. She has been distinguished with the designation as a member of the Governing Board of the UNAM.

As a tutor of the Master's and Doctorate Program in Medical, Dental, and Health Sciences at UNAM, Professor Clark directs the theses of dozens of students, thus collaborating in the education and training of highly qualified human resources for the development of health research in the country.

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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 2024 is being held from April 11-14, 2024 in London, UK. For complete information visit www.wco-iof-esceo.org/

The next WCO-IOF-ESCO is planned from April 10-13, 2025 in Rome, Italy.  

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 members, including committees of scientific researchers as well as more than 330 patient, medical and research organizations, work together to make fracture prevention and healthy mobility a worldwide healthcare priority. www.osteoporosis.foundation  @iofbonehealth