Boehringer Ingelheim awards leading COPD journalists

Boehringer Ingelheim has announced the winners of its COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) communication award – Eloquium, which recognises journalism that extends awareness of the disease.

The three winning entries came from Annu Likkanen from Sweden, Gilson Monteiro from Venezuala and Maria de los Angeles Gonzalez Izurieta from Chile.

All three journalists were rewarded for writing informative and creative articles on the disease and helping to boost understanding of COPD.

Commenting on the winning entry by Ms Likkanen, Patricia Reaney from ReutersHealth said: “By focusing on one woman’s battle with COPD the author of the winning article showed how smoking causes the illness, its impact on a person’s life and the importance of early detection and treatment to limit further lung damage.”

There were 13 submissions in all with entries coming from as far a field as Brazil and Japan.

Professor Klaus Rabe, chair of the judging panel for the award, indicated that improving awareness of the disease was important to ensure patients seek early diagnosis and treatment for COPD.

Last month, Boehringer Ingelheim announced the winner of the Heinrich Wieland Prize for 2008, with Professor Joachim Herz from the Department of Molecular Genetics of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Centre in Dallas picking up the accolade.