11/11/2004
Chiesi European Prize for Excellency in Neonatology

This is a special occasion because it is the first time the Chiesi European Prize for Excellency in Neonatology has been awarded.

A couple of years ago I approached Chiesi and told them we needed an award honoring distinguished colleagues in Neonatology, it should be a European prize and it should be given to established researchers who had significantly contributed in neonatology. Chiesi immediately accepted this and I am extremely grateful for that. A committee consisting of Prof. Dominque Haumont, Belgium, Prof. Christian Speer, Germany, Prof. Guilio Bevilaqua, Italy, and myself started to identify possible candidates. It was a true pleasure to realize that there are so many competent neonatologists in our part of the world. So many would have deserved an award and in this respect our work was difficult, we would have liked to acknowledge several. On the other hand, our work was easy because we quickly agreed that one candidate clearly was ahead of the others.

The winner comes from Finland, he has for three decades contributed profoundly to increasing our knowledge and understanding of the most important newborn disease, respiratory distress syndrome. The Winner of the Chiesi Award for Excellency in Neonatal Research is Professor Mikko Hallman, from Oulo, Finland, one of the present giants in international neonatology.

Ola D. Saugstad
National Hosp Norway, Oslo, Norway

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