30 September 2026
LONDON – 30 September 2026 – French neurologist Professor Sandra Vukusic is being honoured for her groundbreaking scientific contribution to our understanding of women’s health, pregnancy and sex-based treatment differences in multiple sclerosis (MS).
During her career spanning over two decades, Professor Vukusic’s clinical studies have played a key role in overturning the long-held belief that pregnancy worsens short- and long-term MS course. In addition, she has been instrumental in establishing clinical approaches for managing MS therapies around pregnancy, as well as investigating how assisted reproduction interacts with MS evolution.
In recent years, Professor Vukusic’s research has also identified sex-based disparities in MS treatment. She and her team found that women with MS of childbearing age were significantly less likely than men to be prescribed high-efficacy MS drug therapies, due to sometimes unfounded concerns about future pregnancies. This ‘therapeutic inertia’ could lead to greater long-term disability risk in women.
“We are proud to see Professor Vukusic recognised with the 2026 Rachel Horne Prize,” said Professor Bruno Stankoff, President of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS). “Her work has helped change how we understand and manage MS across some of the most important stages of women’s lives. By challenging long-held assumptions and building the evidence needed to guide treatment around pregnancy and reproductive health, she has made a lasting contribution to both MS research and clinical care.”
Professor Emmanuelle Waubant, President of Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) and Executive Committee Member of International Women in MS, said: “We are delighted that Professor Vukusic is being presented with this award. Her outstanding research has helped transform pregnancy in MS from an area characterized by uncertainty and treatment discontinuation, to individualised reproductive and treatment planning based on disease activity, treatment characteristics and the available evidence.”
“When I started my career, women living with MS were still being told not to have children,” said Professor Vukusic. “Over the past twenty-five years, there has been an explosion of scientific knowledge and the introduction of a wide range of treatments, which now allow us to plan pregnancy more confidently, assess risks more precisely, and manage MS treatments before, during and after pregnancy using an increasingly evidence-based approach. I am deeply honoured and grateful to receive this prize.”
Professor Vukusic is the fourth winner of the Rachel Horne Prize for Women’s Research in MS and will receive the international award at the joint ACTRIMS-ECTRIMS Congress in Toronto, Canada on 23 October 2026.
Award founder Rachel Horne said: “Throughout her career, Professor Vukusic has deepened our understanding of MS and, importantly, of how the disease affects women. Her research combines scientific excellence with a strong commitment to improving the lives and care of women living with MS. She is a highly deserving recipient of this prize.”
The US$40,000 prize recognises a researcher who has demonstrated exceptional scientific contribution, leadership and impact in women-focused MS research. It is made possible by the generosity of the Horne Family Charitable Fund.
A selection committee composed of international women leaders in science and neurology from the global network International Women in MS (iWiMS) presided by Dr Marwa Kaisey reviews all applications as part of a competitive process.
Listen to Professor Vukusic discussing her clinical and scientific research and winning the 2026 Rachel Horne Prize in this special ECTRIMS Podcast episode.
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Editor’s Notes:
About the Rachel Horne Prize for Women’s Research in MS
The Rachel Horne Prize recognises an outstanding female scientist for her exceptional contribution to research in the understanding and treatment of women’s health issues in MS. Established in 2023, this international prize of US$40,000 is judged through International Women in MS (www.iwims.world) and supported by the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS www.ectrims.eu) and the Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS www.actrims.org).
Past recipients of the Rachel Horne Prize:
Dr Kristen Krysko (2025) – awarded the Rising Star Prize for research guiding treatment decisions during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Prof Kerstin Hellwig (2024) – honoured for pioneering research improving understanding, safety, and healthcare for women with MS before, during and after pregnancy.
Prof Rhonda Voskuhl (2023) – recognised for her work investigating sex differences in MS susceptibility and progression in MS and identifying potential therapeutic pathways.
About Multiple Sclerosis
An estimated 3.1 million people live with MS in the world. MS is disproportionately common in women, who are up to three times more likely than men to develop the disease. It is generally diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 40, meaning many women are diagnosed during their reproductive years. It is an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system. Currently there is no cure, but treatments are available.
Sourced from the Rachel Horne Press Release.