Silvio Garattini (born in

Bergamo Bergamo (; lmo, Bèrghem ; from the proto- Germanic elements *''berg +*heim'', the "mountain home") is a city in the alpine Lombardy region of northern Italy, approximately northeast of Milan, and about from Switzerland, the alpine lakes Como ...

November 12, 1928) is an Italian scientist,

pharmacology Pharmacology is a branch of medicine, biology and pharmaceutical sciences concerned with drug or medication action, where a drug may be defined as any artificial, natural, or endogenous (from within the body) molecule which exerts a biochemica ...

research scientist, physician and professor in chemotherapy and pharmacology and director of the

Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research The Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research ( it, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri) is a nonprofit research institute dedicated to clinical and biomedical research. It was made possible by a special bequest of Milan phi ...

Biography

Chemical technical specialist and medical doctor, he began his career as an assistant at the Pharmacology Institute of the University of Milan where he remained until 1962 as a senior lecturer in pharmacology and chemotherapy. In 1963 he founded the

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,

Ranica Ranica (Bergamasque: or or or ; Medieval la, Larianica) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Bergamo in the Italian region of Lombardy, located about northeast of Milan and about northeast of Bergamo. As of 31 December 2004, it ...

and Santa Maria Imbaro. From 1965 to 1968 he chaired the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC); he is a component of the "

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", 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 (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 Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...

(CUF) of Italian

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. Other positions he held include: * Consultant of World Health Organization (WHO) * Member of the ''Board'' of the Italian Istituto Superiore di Sanità * Member of the ''Committee for Proprietary Medicinal Products''(CPMP) of the ''European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products''

European Medicines Agency The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is an agency of the European Union (EU) in charge of the evaluation and supervision of medicinal products. Prior to 2004, it was known as the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products or Euro ...

, (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 environmenta ...

* President of the ''Chemotherapy Cancer Committee of the Union for International Cancer Control'' * President of the

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(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 Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional ...

(AIFA) * Director of ''European Research Center for Drug Discovery and Development'' (NatSynDrugs). He is a fellow of the New York Academy of Sciences, of the

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

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for scientific merits,

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of Italian Republic 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 Di Bella is an Italian surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Luigi di Bella (1912–2003), Italian medical doctor and physiology professor, author of a purported therapy for cancer * Carmelo Di Bella (1921–1992), Italian football ...

method because he denied, as a member of the CUF (single commission of the drug), moving

somatostatin Somatostatin, also known as growth hormone-inhibiting hormone (GHIH) or by several other names, is a peptide hormone that regulates the endocrine system and affects neurotransmission and cell proliferation via interaction with G protein-couple ...

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

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movements for his favourable position towards animal testing 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 - 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 Legion of Honour on 1984. Honoris Causa from Autonomous University of Barcelona in 1982. Honoris Causa from University of Białystok 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