The AFOR Foundation
The ASSOCIATION FOR ORTHOPAEDIC RESEARCH (AFOR) is a Swiss-based foundation that supports the advanced continuing training for orthopaedic specialists and trauma surgeons. Moreover, the AFOR foundation supports research for the continuing improvement of indispositions and impairments of the musculoskeletal system.
Limitations of the musculoskeletal system as a consequence of either indisposition or trauma pose a serious and sustainable detraction of quality of life with regard to the social and economic interaction ability. In order to encourage the medical improvement in orthopaedics and traumatology and moreover have patients partake in accelerating technical innovations and constantly growing medical knowledge, Prof. Heinz Mittelmeier and an international group of renowned orthopaedists, in cooperation with the Swiss medical engineering company Osteo AG, established the AFOR foundation in 1987.
The main principle was and still is the concerted support and the cooperation between the medical sector and the industry as well as the promotion of advanced educational training of orthopaedists and trauma surgeons. The Swiss company Osteo AG sponsored these activities through an annual grant. After its acquisition through Stryker in 1996, Stryker continued their financial support. In 2009 Stryker withdrew from all operational and representative functions within the AFOR foundation and supports the AFOR foundation since through an annual grant. Today the AFOR foundation is supported by a variety of companies from the medical engineering and the pharmaceutical industry. Since its establishment the AFOR foundation covers both orthopaedics as well as traumatology for the treatment of the indisposed and impaired musculoskeletal system. Therefore the AFOR foundation is now highly attractive for orthopaedists as well as trauma surgeons.Key aspects are apart from orthopaedics for degenerative indispositions of the musculoskeletal system, the trauma surgery fracture management, the management of periprosthetic fractures with complying auditing operations and trauma related joint replacements.
Key aspects of the sponsorship programme are:
- travel grants for young trauma surgeons in order to fund visitations to internationally acknowledged traumatology centres, where the mentioned techniques are being applied
- sponsoring research projects at hospitals which deal with the improvement of trauma surgery and prosthetic patient centred care
- granting scientific award and therewith rewarding young academics for their outstanding scientific work within the field of trauma surgery and orthopaedics