Professor Sir Richard Peto - ELF Award winner 2005

In 2005, the ELF chose to honour Professor Sir Richard Peto, who received his award for his pioneering epidemiological studies on tobacco-related deaths and cancer prevention. Presentation of the ELF Award took place during the Opening Ceremony on the 15th ERS Annual Congress, Copenhagen, Denmark, on Saturday September 17, 2005.

During the last three decades Sir Richard has contributed more to world health than most people would aspire to in a lifetime. His work has centred on the causes of cancer in general and the effects of smoking in particular. He has established many ground-breaking large-scale randomised trials on a variety of topics, including heart disease, stroke and cancer, and has devised a number of statistical methods that are now used around the world.

The scientific brilliance displayed by Sir Richard is coupled with an ability to convey his findings to a variety of audiences in terms they can relate to and understand. This user-friendly attitude has meant that his results have been communicated to a vast audience, including government ministers, international and national health organisations, and via a large number of important publications. This outstanding approach to science is one of the reasons why the ELF is bestowing this award, as ELF and Sir Richard have a common aim to communicate both treatment and prevention information to patients and the general public.

Past ELF Award recipients