Rudolf Schülke Foundation awards Prof. Dr. med. Thomas Mertens the Hygieia Medal
11.05.2022
The Board of Directors and Advisory Board of the Rudolf Schülke Foundation are pleased to award this year's Hygieia Medal to Prof. Dr. med. Thomas Mertens, virologist and chairman of the Permanent Vaccination Commission (STIKO) at the Robert Koch Institute, the Hygieia Medal for his life's work in the field of vaccination prevention of communicable diseases.
Every two years, the Rudolf Schülke Foundation awards the Hygieia Medal to individuals who have dedicated their life's work to hygiene and microbiology. With their unanimous decision, the Board of Directors and Advisory Board of the Rudolf Schülke Foundation honour the voluntary work of the virologist to the prevention of infections, with special recognition of his work as Chairman of the STIKO.
As chairman of the STIKO, Prof. Dr. Mertens and his colleagues developed recommendations for a large number of vaccinations - especially for the prevention of COVID-19. In addition, he has produced excellent justifications and communicated these to the professional public, politicians and the general public.
"With the award of the Hygieia Medal, we are pleased to honour the steadfastness and insistence of
Prof. Dr. Mertens, in addition to his outstanding educational and persuasive work, which is a cornerstone of infection prevention. Despite high political pressure of expectation, he has always referred to the necessity of scientific evidence in weighing the risks for the individual and the population and has persistently represented the recommendations of the STIKO," said Prof. Dr. med. Dr. h.c. Martin Exner, Chairman of the Rudolf Schülke Foundation. "His recommendations and assessments have made a significant contribution to further increasing confidence in the decisions on infection prevention through vaccines."
"Today, it is our task to align all medical activities with the principles of evidence-based medicine. In the case of the STIKO, this means that doctors and the public have a right to vaccination recommendations that have been developed on the basis of the best available scientific evidence," emphasises Prof. Dr. Thomas Mertens.
On 20 May 2022, the Hygieia Medal will be presented to Prof. Dr. Mertens in a ceremony in Hamburg.
Contact
Rudolf Schülke Foundation
Andrea Rodewald
Robert Koch Strasse 2
22851 Norderstedt
Telephone: +49 40 52100 562
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About the Rudolf Schülke Foundation
The mission of the Rudolf Schülke Foundation is to promote hygiene and microbiology with a focus on the prevention and control of communicable diseases. This includes in particular the development and application of prevention and control strategies as well as antimicrobial or antiviral substances and procedures for antisepsis, disinfection, cleaning and their significance for patient safety. Its aim is to support interdisciplinary research and to strengthen cooperation with universities.
Every two years, the Rudolf Schülke Foundation awards the Hygieia Medal. It is awarded to individuals who have dedicated their life's work to hygiene and microbiology. For more information on the Rudolf Schülke Foundation, the Hygiene Prize and the Hygieia Medal, please visit the Foundation's homepage.