Bad Hofgastein, March 14, 2014 – In advance of the seventeenth European Health Forum Gastein conference, this year themed “Electing Health – the Europe we want!” which will take place in Austria´s Gastein Valley from 1 to 3 October 2014, the International Forum Gastein has announced its annual search for a winner of its European Health Award. The award of €10,000 will be sponsored by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Health and FOPI, the association of research-based pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies in Austria.

The International Forum Gastein initiated the European Health Award on the occasion of the European Health Forum Gastein´s tenth anniversary in 2007. The Award is intended to celebrate achievements in initiatives addressing European health challenges.

“The purpose of the European Health Award is to promote cross-border working and celebrate European initiatives that tackle today´s health challenges which are more complex and multi-faceted than ever,” says EHFG President Professor Helmut Brand. “Promoting multi-country working and the development of innovative and sustainable initiatives will help us to meet our vision of a healthy, social and prosperous Europe.”

In 2013 the Award was won by the ReDNet Project (Recreational Drugs European Network) which is a multi-centred European Commission funded project based in eight EU countries. It aims to identify new psychoactive substances sold online with the aim of improving the level of information available to young people (16-24) and health professionals on the effects of these new recreational drugs and the potential health risks associated with their use, via a range of innovative technological tools.

The selection criteria

1. The initiative must already be in its implementation phase, although it does not have to be completed at the time of application.
2. Applicants should be able to provide some initial results from their initiative.
3. The initiative must be implemented in at least two European countries.
4. The initiative should focus on public health or health care delivery and address an important threat to the health of the population in terms of prevention or health promotion, improving quality of care or access to care or through increased efficiency or cost-effectiveness.
5. The initiative should be innovative and/or demonstrate how it improves on other similar projects.
6. The initiative should be sustainable and have the potential to be transferable to other countries.

Submitted applications will be evaluated by a renowned jury consisting of representatives from the fields of health care, science, politics and economics.

Applications to be considered for the award must be submitted by midnight on Friday, 30 May 2014. Information and an application form can be found at http://www.ehfg.org/award.html

Photos from the evening Award Ceremony at the EHFG 2013: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ehfg/sets/72157636141459934/

EHFG Press Office:
Dr. Birgit Kofler
B&K Kommunikationsberatung GmbH
T:  +43 1 319 43 78 13
M: +43 676 636 89 30
Skype: bkk_birgit.kofler
E-Mail: press@ehfg.org