Joyce A. Cramer to Receive Lifetime Accelerator Award for Transformative Contributions to Clinical Research and Epilepsy Innovation

BOWIE, Md., June 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Epilepsy Foundation of America is proud to announce that Joyce A. Cramer will be honored as this year's recipient of the Lifetime Accelerator Award, an honor presented to an individual who has made an outsized impact on epilepsy therapy development over the course of a career. The award's goal is to recognize, celebrate, and keep the focus on innovative, better treatments for epilepsy. This year's honoree was selected by previous award winners serving as the selection committee.

"I am delighted to be considered an 'accelerator,'" said Joyce Cramer. "Throughout my career, I have believed that advancing better therapies for epilepsy rests on treatment efficacy, tolerability, and value to the patient. Seeing the success of new drugs and devices has been the fulfillment of my career. It was my pleasure to have contributed to work that helps move innovation forward. This recognition is shared with the many colleagues, researchers, and advocates who have dedicated themselves to improving treatment and quality of life for the epilepsy community."

Cramer is now a consultant following a distinguished career at Yale University School of Medicine in the Departments of Psychiatry and Neurology. She began her career in pre-clinical research, spending a decade in foundational scientific work before launching several decades of leadership in clinical trials. She was recognized as having a major role in the original VA cooperative studies that identified optimal therapy for people with epilepsy in the 1980's and went on to develop influential methods for evaluating drug efficacy and adverse effects, study design and management, and strategies to improve medication compliance and persistence.

A pioneer in demonstrating that noncompliance with anti-seizure medications is both common and clinically meaningful, Cramer also became an early and influential advocate for incorporating patient-reported outcomes into clinical trials. She was one of the creators of the Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory (QOLIE) and developed the Seizure Severity Questionnaire (SSQ) for use in clinical trials, giving therapy developers more nuanced ways to assess seizure characteristics and the real-world impact of new therapies. Her work helped advance the measurement of quality of life, treatment satisfaction, and other patient-reported outcomes across a range of medical disorders. Cramer developed and managed multicenter clinical trials in epilepsy and psychiatry and led a Translational Neuroscience Center, strengthening connections between scientific discovery and patient care.

After leaving Yale, Cramer served as President and Chief Scientific Officer of the Epilepsy Therapy Project (ETP), a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping entrepreneurs and investors bring new epilepsy therapies to market. In that role, she provided guidance to entrepreneurs and pharmaceutical and device companies developing innovative epilepsy treatments. She also worked closely with the venture capital community to help identify promising investments, while supporting start-up companies, investors, and major pharmaceutical organizations seeking to advance new therapies in this sector.

Under her leadership, ETP served as a catalyst for innovation by providing grants and investments and by acting as a resource and matchmaker among scientists, entrepreneurs, investors, and in-licensing groups. Her work helped accelerate the translation of scientific ideas into real-world therapeutic opportunities for patients and families affected by epilepsy.

Cramer's scholarly contributions are equally significant. She has authored five books, more than 230 peer-reviewed manuscripts, and numerous book chapters spanning medicine, neurology, psychiatry, research design, medication compliance and persistence, quality of life, patient preference and other patient-reported outcomes, and pharmaco-economics.

Her many honors include the ILAE Epilepsy Ambassador Award, the AES Service Award, the AES Penry Award for Excellence in Epilepsy Care, the ISPOR Distinguished Service Award, and the International Research Promotion Council Award for work in health outcomes.

"Joyce Cramer's career has profoundly shaped the way epilepsy therapies are developed and evaluated," said Bernice "Bee" Martin Lee, Chief Executive Officer of the Epilepsy Foundation of America. "Her groundbreaking work elevating patient-reported outcomes and her relentless focus on improving quality of life for people living with epilepsy have helped transform both research and care. We are proud to honor her extraordinary legacy and lasting impact on the epilepsy community."

To watch Ms. Cramer receive her Lifetime Accelerator Award, register for the livestream of the Foundation's Epilepsy Pipeline Conference.

About Epilepsy
Epilepsy is the most common chronic brain disorder in the world, affecting people of all ages, races, and backgrounds. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 3.4 million Americans live with active epilepsy. The condition is defined by a tendency to experience seizures—sudden, abnormal bursts of electrical activity in the brain that can disrupt behavior, awareness, and bodily control. Beyond seizures, epilepsy can also lead to challenges such as fatigue, memory difficulties, mood changes, anxiety, and trouble concentrating, all of which can significantly impact daily life. Visit epilepsy.com to learn more.

About the Epilepsy Foundation of America
The Epilepsy Foundation America is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of people affected by epilepsy through education, advocacy, research, and connection. For more than 50 years, the Foundation has led efforts to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and advocate for policies that make a meaningful difference for individuals living with epilepsy. We also fund cutting-edge research and support early-career investigators working to discover new treatments and therapies. Through our nationwide network of local offices and community partners, the Foundation expands access to care, provides seizure recognition and first aid training, and delivers direct services to those in need. To learn more visit epilepsy.com or call 1.800.332.1000; in Spanish laepilepsia.org or call 866.748.8008.

SOURCE Epilepsy Foundation