On 21 November 2008, the Prince Mahidol Award Foundation under the Royal Patronage held a press conference to announce the Prince Mahidol Award for 2008 at the Prince Mahidol Museum, Syamindra Building, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital. The press conference was participated by Clinical Professor Teerawat Kulthanan (Dean of Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, in the capacity of Vice President of the Board of Trustees of the Prince Mahidol Award Foundation), Clinical Professor Vicharn Panich (Chairman of the International Award Committee of the Prince Mahidol Award Foundation), Clinical Professor Supat Vanichakarn (Secretary-General of the Prince Mahidol Award Foundation) and Mr. Voradet Viravakin (acting on behalf of the Director-General of Department of Information, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in the capacity of Chairman of the Sub-Committee on Public Relations of the Prince Mahidol Award Foundation). Present at the press conference were also Mr. Zhang Jiuhuan, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Thailand, Mr. Edgard Telles Ribeiro, Ambassador of the Federative Republic of Brazil to Thailand, and Mr. Yuji Kumamaru, Charg? d’Affaires of the Embassy of Japan.
The Board of Trustees of the Prince Mahidol Award Foundation, chaired by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, was convened on 3 November 2008 to select the Prince Mahidol Awardees for 2008 from a list of 49 nominees from 19 countries. The Board decided to grant this year’s Prince Mahidol Award in the field of medicine to Professor Dr. S?rgio Henrique Ferreira of the Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeir?o Preto, University of S?o Paulo, Brazil. In the field of public health, the Prince Mahidol Award is jointly awarded to Dr. Michiaki Takahashi, Member of the Board of the Research Foundation for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Japan, and Professor Dr. Yu Yongxin, Director Emeritus, First Department of Viral Vaccine, National Institute for the Control of Pharmaceutical and Biological Products, People’s Republic of China.
In the field of Medicine:
Professor Dr. S?rgio Henrique Ferreira discovered the Bradykinin Potentiating Factor (BPF) which
is a peptide found in the venom of a Brazilian snake. His discovery paved the way for the development of a new class of antihypertensive drugs, the angiotensin converting enzymes inhibitors (ACEI), the first of which is the drug called captopril. The drug was widely recognized for its antihypertensive efficacy, especially in diabetic patients with inflammatory and kidney diseases. It greatly helped reduce the number of patients who died from congestive heart failure.
Professor Dr. Ferreira also discovered the mechanism in which non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) work and studied a basic mechanism involving inflammatory hyperalgesia. His study led to the development of a selected class of analgesics, particularly the COX 2 inhibitor, considered to be a huge progress for the NSAIDs.
Professor Dr. Ferreira’s contributions to science have been extensively recognized worldwide. The ACEI and Cox-2 inhibitors are currently among the most widely used to relieve pain and inflammatory conditions and to save the lives of millions of patients around the world.
In the field of Public Health:
Professor Dr. Michiaki Takahashi developed a vaccine isolated from the vesicles of a typical case of chicken pox in a 3-year-old Japanese boy. Named Oka after the boy, the vaccine was developed to prevent chicken pox in a process which strictly adhered to the standards of the World Health Organisation. The vaccine was widely accepted and used extensively in Japan, Korea, USA, France, as well as Thailand. People who receive this vaccine when developing chicken pox have less fever and no scarring, and recover quickly. As they grow older, children who have received the vaccine will experience less severe cases of herpes zoster than those who did not receive the vaccination. In adults older than 60, the vaccine is shown to prevent the development of herpes zoster, as well as to reduce its side effects and limit the spread of the disease.
Chicken pox or varicella is caused by the varicella zoster virus (VZV), the same herpes virus. Symptoms of the disease include fever, headache, loss of appetite, and skin rashes. The disease is found in all regions of the world, often in children younger than 6. In general, the disease has no serious consequence but is easily transmitted. Rare side conditions of the disease include the inflammation of brain and lung. In general, the conditions are more serious and take longer for recovery in adults.
Professor Dr. Takahashi’s discovery of the varicella vaccine led to the worldwide use of the vaccine to prevent chicken pox. The vaccine helps relieve the pain and reduces the mortality rate of chicken pox patients, saving millions of children around the world.
Dr. Yu Yongxin spent nearly three decades to derive an SA14-14-2 Japanese encephalitis (JE) vaccine from hamster kidney cells. Tested for immunogenicity and efficacy in experimental animals and then human subjects, the vaccine is widely regarded as the most efficacious and safest in preventing encephalitis in children. Since 1988, the vaccine has been distributed to over 200 million children in China and to millions more in India, Korea, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Thailand. It was proven to greatly help reduce the spread of encephalitis in Asia.
JE is the most important disease in the group of encephalitis diseases caused by insect-borne virus. The disease cannot be cured but can be prevented by vaccine. The disease has been found in Asia, particularly in India, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, and China. It used to be an epidemic in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan but is currently under control. Normally, patients with JE encephalitis show no symptoms. What is found are brain-related symptoms including inflammation of the brain and membranes enveloping the brain which can result in the patients’ death or disability. Since the vaccine was listed by Ministry of Public Health as a primary vaccine in its Immunity Promotion Plan, JE has hardly been found.
Dr Yu’s research and development of the JE vaccine have contributed to the prevention of diseases with no cure. His efforts have helped ensure that millions of patients in Asia would be spared death and disability from the disease.
Their Majesties the King and the Queen have graciously consented to preside over the Presentation Ceremony of the Prince Mahidol Award 2008 on Wednesday 28th January 2009 at 17:30 hours at Chakri Throne Hall. As His Majesty the King’s representative, Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn will preside over the dinner in honour of the awardees at Boromrajasathitmaholarn Throne Hall on the same day at 20:00 hours.
The Prince Mahidol Award Foundation was established in commemoration of the centenary of the birth of His Royal Highness Prince Mahidol on January 1st, 1992. The Foundation is under Royal Patronage, with Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn as president. The Prince Mahidol Award is conferred annually upon individual(s) or institution(s) with demonstrated outstanding of and exemplary contributions to the advancement of medical and public health services throughout the world. Each Award consists of a medal, a certificate and US $50,000.
Prime Minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Press Division, Department of Information Tel.(02) 643-5170
Fax. (02) 643-5169 E-mail : div0704@mfa.go.th End.