The “Fondation Yves Cotrel pour la Recherche en Pathologie Rachidienne” was born on January 22nd 1999, through a convention with the Institut de France.
According to its by-laws:
The Foundation aims to coordinate, sustain and promote - at both national and international levels - health research, more particularly in spinal diseases.
An international scientific Board will study the proposals submitted by the members of the administrative Board, its members, an external scientific figure or directly by the researchers.
The scientific Board will select the research projects to be supported, will ensure the follow-up of these projects and their evolution and will validate the progress of the supported research.
The president of the administrative Board of the Foundation is Mr Pierre Messmer, former Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Institut de France.
For the 3 years to come, the Board of Directors of the Fondation has decided to focus its resources and activities on research projects dealing with the causes of idiopathic scoliosis.
Why focus on Idiopathic Scoliosis?
Spinal deformities affect approximately 5‰ of children, and often have a negative impact on the quality of their lives. Spinal deformities that appear early in a child’s life can progress to a severe state and can even deteriorate further during adulthood. Sadly, the causes of spinal deformities are currently unknown.
What are existing treatments?
Currently, no reliable data exists which can predict how a deformity will progress. Thus, the treatment of a patient is based on the individual’s symptoms and their possible progression as seen during regular examinations. This type of empirical decision making may result in less than optimal treatment.
The conservative treatments available are based on the use of corrective braces, to be worn during the spinal growth period. Surgical treatment is used only in case of severe deformity. The objective of surgery is to fuse the deviated vertebrae to ensure their stabilization. However, while such fusions maintain the stability of the spine, they also reduce spine’s mobility - one of the spine’s key functions. Basically, the surgeon chooses between “the lesser of two evils”.
We can no longer be satisfied with this situation
The “Fondation Y. Cotrel de l’Institut de France” has decided to select and support the most valuable biomechanical, genetic, endocrinological, neurologic and metabolic projects researching the origins of idiopathic scoliosis in order to have early detection, and even better, to prevent its development.
This is what the Foundation aims to accomplish for the coming 3 years.