Silvio Garattini (born in Bergamo November 12, 1928) is an Italian

scientist A scientist is a person who conducts scientific research to advance knowledge in an area of the natural sciences. In classical antiquity, there was no real ancient analog of a modern scientist. Instead, philosophers engaged in the philosoph ...

, pharmacology research scientist,

physician A physician (American English), medical practitioner (Commonwealth English), medical doctor, or simply doctor, is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through th ...

and professor in

chemotherapy Chemotherapy (often abbreviated to chemo and sometimes CTX or CTx) is a type of cancer treatment that uses one or more anti-cancer drugs ( chemotherapeutic agents or alkylating agents) as part of a standardized chemotherapy regimen. Chemothe ...

and pharmacology and director of the Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research.

Biography

Chemical technical specialist and medical doctor, he began his career as an assistant at the Pharmacology Institute of the

University of Milan The University of Milan ( it, Università degli Studi di Milano; la, Universitas Studiorum Mediolanensis), known colloquially as UniMi or Statale, is a public research university in Milan, Italy. It is one of the largest universities in Europe ...

where he remained until 1962 as a senior lecturer in pharmacology and chemotherapy. In 1963 he founded the Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research of which he became the first director. Over the years, the institute developed to reach staffing of approximately 850 researchers over four different locations in

Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...

, Bergamo, Ranica and

Santa Maria Imbaro Santa Maria Imbaro (locally ''Sanda Marmàre'') is a ''comune'' and town in the province of Chieti in the Abruzzo region of Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern E ...

. From 1965 to 1968 he chaired the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC); he is a component of the " Group 2003", a group of Italian researchers held in high esteem in the global pharmaceutical environment. Garattini is the author of hundreds of publications in international journals and author of several treatises on pharmacology. During his career he was a member of several national and international organizations, among which are the ''Committee of Biology and Medicine'' of the

National Research Council National Research Council may refer to: * National Research Council (Canada), sponsoring research and development * National Research Council (Italy), scientific and technological research, Rome * National Research Council (United States), part of ...

(CNR), the Italian National Health Council and ''the Council of Ministers of the Presidency Commission for research policy in Italy'', as well as Member of the Single Commission of the drug (CUF) of Italian Ministry of Health. Other positions he held include: * Consultant of

World Health Organization The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. The WHO Constitution states its main objective as "the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of ...

(WHO) * Member of the ''Board'' of the Italian

Istituto Superiore di Sanità The ''Istituto Superiore di Sanità'' (Italian National Institute of Health, literally 'Higher Health Institute'), also ISS, is an Italian public institution that, as the leading technical-scientific body of the Italian National Health Service (' ...

* Member of the ''Committee for Proprietary Medicinal Products''(CPMP) of the ''European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products'' European Medicines Agency, (EMEA). * Member of the Executive Committee for the '' Research Policy '' (CEPR) of the Italian ''Ministry of University and Scientific Research and Technology'' * Member of ''Scientific Committee of the Italian League for the Fight Against Cancer'' * Vice President of the Italian

Board of Health Local boards or local boards of health were local authorities in urban areas of England and Wales from 1848 to 1894. They were formed in response to cholera epidemics and were given powers to control sewers, clean the streets, regulate environment ...

* President of the ''Chemotherapy Cancer Committee of the

Union for International Cancer Control The Union for International Cancer Control (previously named International Union Against Cancer) or UICC is a non-governmental organisation with some 1,180 member organisations in more than 170 countries. UICC was founded in 1933 and is based i ...

'' * President of the European Organisation of research on cancer (EORTC) * President of the ''European Society of Biochemical Pharmacology'' (ESBP) * President of the ''Steering Advisory Group Current Controlled Trials'' * President of the ''Commission for Research and Development'' of the Italian drug Agency (AIFA) * Director of ''European Research Center for Drug Discovery and Development'' (NatSynDrugs). He is a

fellow A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context. In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements. Within the context of higher education ...

of the

New York Academy of Sciences The New York Academy of Sciences (originally the Lyceum of Natural History) was founded in January 1817 as the Lyceum of Natural History. It is the fourth oldest scientific society in the United States. An independent, nonprofit organization wi ...

, of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and

emeritus fellow ''Emeritus'' (; female: ''emerita'') is an adjective used to designate a retired chair, professor, pastor, bishop, pope, director, president, prime minister, rabbi, emperor, or other person who has been "permitted to retain as an honorary title ...

of the ''Royal College of Physicians''}. During his long career he received numerous national and international honours, including: the

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...

of the French Republic for scientific merits, Grand Official of

Italian Republic Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

and several honorary degrees from several European universities. He received the ''America Award'' of the Italy-USA Foundation in 2018.

Controversies

In 1996 he was criticized by supporters of the Di Bella method because he denied, as a member of the CUF (single commission of the drug), moving somatostatin from the H band to a group A drug which would have provided for the free supply of the drug. This was due to the lack of scientific proof of its effectiveness. He is also criticized by the animalist movements for his favourable position towards

animal testing Animal testing, also known as animal experimentation, animal research, and ''in vivo'' testing, is the use of non-human animals in experiments that seek to control the variables that affect the behavior or biological system under study. This ...

and for having responded to their accusations of gratuitous violence on animals ''"animal testing is irreplaceable and necessary. Those opposed will have to assume their responsibilities for care and drugs that will not be found. Research cannot be stopped"''.

Honours and recognition

Italy

Commanders of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countries this naval rank is termed frigate captain. ...

- Awarded on December 27, 1990. - Grand Officer Order of Merit of the Italian Republic - Awarded on December 27, 2005. - Gold Medal awarded on February 1, 2010.

Europe

- Knight of

on 1984. Honoris Causa from

Autonomous University of Barcelona The Autonomous University of Barcelona ( ca, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona; , es, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona; UAB), is a public university mostly located in Cerdanyola del Vallès, near the city of Barcelona in Catalonia, Spain. ...

in 1982. Honoris Causa from

University of Białystok The University of Bialystok is the largest university in the north-eastern region of Poland, educating in various fields of study, including humanities, social and natural sciences and mathematics. It has nine faculties, including a foreig ...

in 1984

Notes and references

{{DEFAULTSORT:Garattini, Silvio Commanders of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic Grand Officers of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic Knights of the Legion of Honour 1928 births Living people