Charité epidemiologist Stefan Willich receives Harvard award
01.10.2021 17:43
The social medicine and epidemiologist Stefan Willich received the Alumni Award of Merit from the Harvard University TH Chan School of Public Health on September 27th. This is the first time that this highest honor for former graduates of the institution has gone to a German scientist.
The expert committee particularly recognized Willich's contributions to establishing one of the world's leading epidemiological centers at the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin as well as his publications on current public health issues during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Prof. Dr. Stefan Willich is an internist, epidemiologist, musician and one of the best-known social medicine and public health experts in Germany. Since 1995 he has been director of the Institute for Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, which has developed into one of the most important epidemiological research centers in the world during his tenure. The Charité Institute implements many of its preventive medicine research results into clinical practice. The prevention clinic established by Willich at the Charité has become a model throughout Europe,” explained the expert committee of the Harvard University TH Chan School of Public Health.
As a committed advocate of integrative medicine, Willich's research has also examined the effectiveness of traditional and complementary health practices and promoted their use in addition to conventional medical therapy. He was founding president of the European Society for Integrative Medicine (ESIM), first editor of the European Journal of Integrative Medicine and initiator of the first World Congress on Integrative Medicine and Health.
Willich is the author or co-author of more than 500 peer-reviewed publications and dozens of books and monographs. He is co-principal investigator of the NAKO Health Study, one of the largest epidemiological studies on the etiology of chronic diseases. He is a health policy advisor and is present in the German media, most recently commenting on the socio-medical and epidemiological issues surrounding COVID-19.
The award also recognizes Willich's humanitarian commitment. As a violinist, he founded and conducts the World Doctors Orchestra, an international group of doctors and musicians.