IFCS Third Award of Merit

We are pleased to announce that the recipient of this year’s Award of Merit is Professor Dr. G. Ungváry. Professor Ungváry is currently the Director-General of Fodor József National Center for Public Health and serves as the State Chief Medical Officer in Hungary.

Professor Ungváry has actively participated in the IFCS since its inception, representing the Government of Hungary. Since 1997 he has served as the Vice President for the Central & Eastern Region. Professor Ungváry plays a prominent role in the work of the Forum Standing Committee assuming lead responsibilities for the preparations of agenda items for Forum III and Forum IV. Over the last several decades he has contributed much time and energy to the activities of many international organizations (WHO, IPCS, FAO, ILO). He has served on numerous expert and advisory committees and also is a member of the Programme Advisory Committee of IPCS.

In his capacity as IFCS Vice President, he has played a catalytic role bringing together countries to encourage and support the implementation of the IFCS Priorities for Action and other Forum recommendations. Professor Ungváry has organized four regional meetings in Budapest. His efforts have had a substantial impact on the development of regulatory schemes for chemical safety in many countries in the region. He has established a collaborative regional network that includes major institutions in the Central and Eastern European countries.

A physician and toxicologist, Professor Ungváry is a pioneer of chemical safety in Hungary. His professional field is Occupational Health. In 1998 Professor Ungváry initiated the establishment of the Institute of Chemical Safety that is now operating as part of the Fodor József National Center for Public Health where a round-the-clock Health Toxicological Information Service has been started. Professor Ungváry has played a leading role in elaborating the National Profile in Hungary and drafting the National Chemical Safety Act. Currently he is the Head of the Secretariat to the Interministerial Committee operating in the area of chemical safety.

Professor Ungváry’s research area is occupational and experimental toxicology. He is the author of more than 250 publications, book chapters and textbooks written in Hungarian and other languages. Professor Ungváry has received numerous awards and honours throughout his career including the Officer’s Cross of the Award of the Republic awarded by the President of the Hungarian Republic and the Hungarian Medal for Public Health in 2001.

CEJOEM 2003, Vol.9. Nos 2–3.: 117