ICCARPInternational Consortium to Classify
Ageing-Related Pathologies
EST. 2019 · GEROSCIENCE & POLICY

A unified classification
for the pathologies
of ageing.

The International Consortium to Classify Ageing-Related Pathologies (ICCARP) is a global scientific initiative developing a comprehensive classification and staging framework for ageing-related pathologies, structured for submission to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11).

Read the consensus statements →Browse working groups
Working groups
14
Contributors
400+
Countries
29
Submissions to
WHO ICD-11
I · The Consortium

The problem of unclassified ageing.

Population ageing now constitutes the main structural challenge to global healthcare systems. As populations age, the clinical focus has shifted from acute diseases to chronic conditions, with an emphasis on sustaining the functional capacity and health of individuals. Existing diagnostic frameworks have failed to keep pace with this transition; many ageing-related pathologies remain poorly classified or inconsistently staged. This lack of clinical and pathological resolution limits accurate diagnosis, stratification, and patient management, whilst hindering research coordination, regulatory clarity, epidemiological surveillance, and the development of interventions capable of keeping individuals healthier for longer.

ICCARP is addressing this problem. The consortium was established to directly address taxonomic deficiencies by systematically refining the classification and staging of ageing-related pathologies.

To ensure international clinical utility and scientific consensus, the consortium convenes an international network of over 400 clinical and scientific experts across 29 countries. Operationally, ICCARP executes its mission through 14 specialised working groups, supported by two advisory boards and an executive Steering Committee. The consortium is actively developing a unified, consensus-driven system grounded in current scientific evidence.

The consortium is advancing in four phases:

  • i.
    Evidence
    Systematic collation and appraisal of the scientific evidence base
  • ii.
    Classification
    Precise taxonomic classification of distinct pathologies
  • iii.
    Staging
    Formulation of standardised clinical staging parameters
  • iv.
    Biomarkers
    Identification of validated biomarkers to objectively quantify and monitor pathologies

This framework is systematically applied by each specialist working group within its respective domain, supported by coordinated scientific and policy guidance across the consortium.

These harmonised outputs are structured for submission to the World Health Organization (WHO), providing the formal empirical scaffolding required to facilitate future integration into the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) and shape global health policy.

14
Specialist working groups
400+
International contributors
29
Countries represented
11
Peer-reviewed outputs
II · How the consortium is organised

Fourteen specialist working groups. Two advisory boards.

Specialist working groups are coordinated by the Steering Committee and informed by two cross-cutting advisory boards. Each group is led by an international panel of expert clinicians and scientists tasked with refining body-system-level classification. Select a group to filter publications below.

Advisory boards
III · Publications

Peer-reviewed consensus & classification.

ICCARP consensus statements, response pieces, and classification proposals are published in GeroScience, Science, The Lancet Healthy Longevity, the European Heart Journal, and other peer-reviewed venues.

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IV · Clinical Translation & Regulatory Integration

Formal diagnostic criteria are essential for robust clinical trials.

Recognised diagnostic classification and coding are foundational to clinical translation. Without these standards, the design of robust clinical trials, the definition of regulatory endpoints, and the reimbursement of emerging therapies remain substantially constrained. By providing the classification frameworks required for ICD-11 integration, ICCARP aims to support healthcare systems and regulatory bodies in the evaluation and adoption of emerging interventions.

World Health Organization emblem
Submission target
World Health Organization · Geneva
International Classification of Diseases,
11th Revision (ICD-11)
V · The Steering Committee

Founders, coordinators & advisors.

The Steering Committee oversees consortium governance, classification methodology, and submission to international bodies.

i.

Founders

Dr Barry L. Bentley
Dr Barry L. Bentley
Founder
Cardiff Metropolitan University
Dr Stuart Calimport
Dr Stuart Calimport
Founder
UK Government, DSIT
Cardiff Metropolitan University
ii.

Coordinators

Dr Robert Huckstepp
Dr Robert Huckstepp
Coordinator
University of Warwick
Dr James Murray
Dr James Murray
Coordinator
Swansea University
iii.

Steering Committee advisors

Dr Emma Short
Dr Emma Short
Steering Committee Advisor
Swansea Bay University Health Board, NHS
Dr Gary Christopher
Dr Gary Christopher
Steering Committee Advisor
Swansea University
VI · Working-group members

The international contributors.

Each ICCARP working group is led by an international panel of clinicians and scientists. Filter the directory by group to see contributors in that area. A selection of representative members is shown — the full register is maintained internally.

Working-group members span 29 countries across six continents — hover a marker for the country total.

Select a group below to view its contributors.

VII · Press

Coverage of the case for classifying ageing.

The consortium’s work and the wider scientific case for recognising ageing-related pathologies have been featured in international press and institutional reporting.

The Telegraph · 14 February 2020
Ageing should be classed as a disease in itself, say leading academics
→
Harvard Medical School · 7 November 2019
Defining Aging
→
MIT Technology Review · 19 August 2019
What if aging weren't inevitable, but a curable disease?
→
Media & interview requests. Journalists and producers seeking comment, interviews, or background on the classification of ageing-related pathologies are welcome to contact press@iccarp.org. Please include your outlet, deadline, and the focus of your enquiry.
VIII · Contact

Get in touch with the consortium.

For correspondence regarding working-group membership, classification proposals, or institutional partnerships, contact the Steering Committee directly.

Postal
ICCARP Steering Committee
Cardiff School of Technologies,
Cardiff Metropolitan University,
Llandaff Campus, Cardiff CF5 2YB, UK
Get involved

Three ways to engage.

ICCARP welcomes correspondence from clinicians, scientists, regulators, and partner institutions. Each route below opens a direct, addressed email.

i.
Join a working group
Clinicians and scientists with subject-matter expertise.
→
ii.
Institutional partnership
Universities, hospitals, learned societies, and regulators.
→
iii.
Press & media
Embargoed pre-publication enquiries and interview requests.
→
For ICCARP citations, please use the consensus statement DOIs listed in the Publications section. ICD-11 submission queries are handled directly by the WHO classifications office.