VeDA names Brandt and Anson as 2026 Medical Champion awardees

The Vestibular Disorders Association named Thomas Brandt, MD, FACP, and Eric Anson, PT, PhD, as its 2026 Medical Champion Award recipients on Oct. 7, 2026. The honors spotlight research and clinical leadership aimed at improving diagnosis and care for people with dizziness, vertigo and balance disorders.

Why it matters: - Vestibular disorders are often under-recognized and misdiagnosed, delaying treatment for people with dizziness, vertigo and balance problems. - VeDA uses the awards to highlight research, clinical care and education that can speed diagnosis and improve outcomes. - The program also aims to raise awareness across the medical community about evidence-based care for vestibular patients.

What happened: - The Vestibular Disorders Association announced its 2026 Medical Champion Award recipients on Oct. 7, 2026. - Thomas Brandt, MD, FACP, received the 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award. - Eric Anson, PT, PhD, received the 2026 Young Investigator Award. - VeDA said the annual awards honor healthcare professionals whose work has advanced understanding, diagnosis and treatment of vestibular disorders.

The details: - Brandt is internationally recognized as one of the founders of modern neuro-otology. - His career spans more than five decades. - Brandt served as chairman of neurology at Ludwig Maximilian University Munich and later as chief executive director of the German Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders. - His research advanced knowledge of central vestibular disorders, multisensory integration, visual-vestibular interactions, posture and gait control, spatial navigation and higher vestibular function. - Brandt authored hundreds of scientific publications and several textbooks, including Vertigo: Its Multisensory Syndromes and Vertigo and Dizziness: Common Complaints. - His work has influenced international diagnostic criteria, physician education and treatment approaches. - Anson is an associate professor of otolaryngology and neuroscience at the University of Rochester Medical Center. - Anson is also a physical therapist with more than two decades of clinical experience in vestibular rehabilitation. - His research focuses on age- and disease-related changes in vestibular function, multisensory integration, vestibular perception, concussion and balance rehabilitation. - Anson’s NIH-funded work aims to develop accessible methods for assessing vestibular function and improve rehabilitation strategies that reduce dizziness, improve mobility and enhance quality of life. - Anson trained in kinesiology at the University of Maryland and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in vestibular physiology at Johns Hopkins University.

Between the lines: - VeDA is elevating two different paths to impact: foundational research over a long career and translational research aimed at clinic-ready tools. - The honorees reflect a broader push in vestibular medicine to connect neuroscience with practical treatment. - The awards also reinforce a central challenge in the field: many patients still wait years for the right diagnosis.

What's next: - VeDA will continue using the Medical Champion Program to recognize leaders in vestibular research, clinical care, education and innovation. - The organization says it will keep pressing for earlier diagnosis, better treatment and improved patient outcomes. - More information is available from VeDA's website.