By Helmut Brand, Professor of European Public Health, member of the EU Jury for the EU Health Prize for Journalists 2012, President of the Association of Schools of Public Health in European Region (ASPHER) and President of the European Health Forum Gastein (EHFG)
Similar to ASPHER , which is dedicated to improving public health professionals' education and training, the EU Health Prize for Journalists also contributes to public health literacy and promotes awareness of the current situation in European healthcare systems by giving us an inside look at the health of Europe.
The EU Health Prize for Journalists aims at reaching the general public with concrete examples of public health issues illustrating clearly what the EU can do for health. By participating in this prize, not only are journalists' reputations enhanced, but also interesting topics are brought to the forefront of discussion.
This year, it is my pleasure to announce the winners of the EU Health Prize for Journalists 2012. The outstanding articles have been selected from over 500 submissions by journalists from all 27 Member States.
First prize is awarded to Petr Třešňák from the Czech Republic for his article "Adventures in ward14" published in Respekt. It highlights mental health issues and the relationship between nurses and patients in psychiatric hospitals.
Ailbhe Jordan, from Ireland, is awarded second prize for "Is screening a waste of cash?" published in The Medical Independent. The article presents an objective and timely look at the cost effectiveness of cancer screening programmes.
The Italian Journalist, Daniela Cipolloni, received third prize for "All those lies spread by private umbilical cord banks" published in Oggi Scienza. This article delivers a debate on the usefulness of umbilical cord blood banks and explains what stem cells are useful for.
Once again, a special prize for the best article on smoking cessation has been awarded. This year's prize is awarded to Tobias Zick, from Germany, for his article, Thick air published in NEON. It presents a comprehensive overview of tobacco use and smoking cessation, covering history, politics, law and philosophy and shows how health policies can have a big impact.
And finally, as a member of the EU Jury, I would like to congratulate the national finalists and hope that you enjoy reading their articles as much as I did.
