The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) has appointed Professor René Rizzoli as the next Editor-in-Chief for the European Office of Osteoporosis International and Archives of Osteoporosis, marking a major editorial transition for two of the most influential publications in the field of bone health. Rizzoli will assume the position on 1 September 2026, succeeding Professor John A. Kanis, who has led the European Office of Osteoporosis International since 2008. The appointment comes at a time when osteoporosis research is expanding beyond bone density measurements to encompass fracture prediction, aging, muscle-bone interactions, treatment adherence, genetics, and the global burden of fragility fractures.
Rizzoli is an internist and endocrinologist whose career has focused on metabolic bone diseases, osteoporosis, and disorders of mineral metabolism. He is Emeritus Professor of Medicine at the University Hospitals of Geneva, where he previously headed the Service of Bone Diseases and chaired the Department of Rehabilitation and Geriatrics. His clinical and research background spans the complex biological systems that regulate skeletal strength, including calcium and phosphate balance, bone remodeling, endocrine signaling, and the effects of aging on musculoskeletal function. These areas are central to modern osteoporosis medicine because skeletal fragility is not determined by bone mineral density alone. Bone architecture, cortical porosity, turnover rate, previous fractures, falls, muscle function, and exposure to medications can all influence a patient’s risk.
The new editor-in-chief brings extensive experience in scientific publishing. He previously served as Editor-in-Chief of Calcified Tissue International, was an editor of BONE, and has worked as an Associate Editor of Osteoporosis International. He also chaired the IOF Committee of Scientific Advisors and currently chairs the Scientific Advisory Board of the European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases, known as ESCEO. Such roles place Rizzoli at the intersection of research evaluation, clinical practice, and health policy. Editorial leadership in this field requires more than selecting technically sound manuscripts; it also involves identifying studies that can change clinical decisions, clarify uncertainty, and improve prevention strategies for populations at risk of fracture.
In his new role, Rizzoli will work with the US Editor-in-Chief, who is appointed by the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation, as well as the journals’ editorial boards, authors, reviewers, and IOF. The joint structure reflects the international nature of osteoporosis research. Although the disease is often associated with older women, osteoporosis affects people of all sexes and ethnic backgrounds, and its causes and consequences vary across regions. Hip, vertebral, and wrist fractures can lead to chronic pain, reduced mobility, loss of independence, and increased mortality. The burden is expected to grow as populations age, making international collaboration essential for comparing fracture rates, evaluating screening strategies, and adapting treatments to different healthcare systems.
“Osteoporosis International” publishes research across the spectrum of bone disease, including original investigations, reviews, educational articles, and case reports. Its scientific scope ranges from clinical trials and observational studies to laboratory research that has direct relevance to human disease. This breadth is important because osteoporosis is produced by a dynamic imbalance between bone resorption and bone formation. Specialized cells called osteoclasts break down old bone, while osteoblasts create new tissue. In healthy adult bone, these processes are tightly coupled. With aging, hormonal changes, chronic inflammation, nutritional deficiencies, certain cancers, and some medications, resorption may outpace formation, gradually weakening the skeleton and increasing the likelihood that an ordinary fall will cause a fracture.
The journals also provide a platform for research into how osteoporosis is diagnosed and treated. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, or DXA, remains the standard method for measuring bone mineral density at the hip and spine, but clinicians increasingly combine DXA results with clinical risk factors. Tools such as FRAX estimate the probability of a major osteoporotic fracture or hip fracture over a defined period by incorporating age, sex, previous fracture, family history, glucocorticoid use, smoking, alcohol intake, rheumatoid arthritis, and other variables. Researchers are also investigating vertebral fracture assessment, high-resolution imaging, bone turnover markers, artificial intelligence, and genetic risk scores. These approaches may help identify individuals whose bone structure is fragile even when their bone density does not fall below conventional diagnostic thresholds.
Treatment research is equally active. Established antiresorptive medicines, including bisphosphonates and denosumab, reduce bone breakdown and can lower fracture risk, while anabolic and bone-forming therapies stimulate new bone formation in selected patients at very high risk. However, the most appropriate treatment depends on fracture history, kidney function, age, other illnesses, medication access, and the potential risks associated with stopping or changing therapy. Long-term management can be challenging because osteoporosis is often silent until a fracture occurs. Patients may discontinue treatment when they feel well, while clinicians must balance the benefits of fracture prevention against uncommon but serious adverse events. Rigorous evidence and clear clinical guidance are therefore essential, particularly as newer therapies and treatment sequences enter routine practice.
Rizzoli said he was honored to take on the position and expressed his intention to build on the journal’s reputation as a leading publication in osteoporosis and metabolic bone diseases. He emphasized the importance of rigorous, impactful, peer-reviewed research that can advance scientific knowledge, inform clinical practice, and improve musculoskeletal health worldwide. That mission is increasingly urgent because osteoporosis intersects with several of the largest health challenges of the twenty-first century, including population aging, multimorbidity, disability, healthcare inequality, and the rising cost of long-term care. Preventing a fracture can preserve mobility and independence, but doing so often requires earlier identification of risk and coordinated intervention involving primary care, endocrinology, geriatrics, rehabilitation, radiology, nursing, and public health.
The appointment also closes an 18-year editorial chapter under Kanis, whose leadership helped strengthen the international profile of Osteoporosis International. During his tenure, the journal attracted research from around the world and reinforced its position as one of the leading publications in osteoporosis and metabolic bone disease. IOF President Professor Nicholas Harvey credited Kanis with helping shape the journal’s scientific standing and establishing a strong foundation for its future. The transition reflects the continuity of a publication while acknowledging changes in the science itself: osteoporosis research now extends from molecular mechanisms and drug development to fracture liaison services, fall prevention, digital health, health economics, and strategies designed to close treatment gaps after a first fracture.
The IOF, described as the world’s largest nongovernmental organization dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of osteoporosis and related musculoskeletal diseases, represents scientific, medical, research, and patient organizations in 152 countries. Its leadership argues that fracture prevention and healthy mobility should become global healthcare priorities. With Rizzoli scheduled to begin his editorial term in 2026, the European Office will enter its next phase amid rapid advances in bone biology, precision medicine, and population health. The central test for the journals will be to ensure that emerging discoveries are evaluated with methodological rigor and translated into evidence that can help clinicians prevent fractures, preserve mobility, and reduce the worldwide consequences of skeletal fragility.
Subject of Research: Appointment of Professor René Rizzoli as Editor-in-Chief for the European Office of Osteoporosis International and Archives of Osteoporosis.
Article Title: René Rizzoli Appointed to Lead European Editions of Major Osteoporosis Journals
Web References: International Osteoporosis Foundation, https://www.osteoporosis.foundation/
Keywords: Osteoporosis, bone health, metabolic bone disease, osteoporosis research, René Rizzoli, Osteoporosis International, Archives of Osteoporosis, scientific publishing, fracture prevention, bone mineral density, musculoskeletal health, International Osteoporosis Foundation
Tags: aging and bone healthbone remodeling and endocrine signalingfracture risk predictiongenetics of osteoporosisglobal burden of fragility fracturesmetabolic bone diseasesmineral metabolism disordersmuscle-bone interactionsosteoporosis researchrole of bone architecture in osteoporosisskeletal strength assessmenttreatment adherence in osteoporosis
