Prof. Piotr Ponikowski and Prof. Ewa Jankowska received the Prime Minister’s Award in the category covering scientific achievement, for developing a new form of treatment for patients with heart failure with iron deficiency. PRM Awards are granted every year in recognition of contribution to the development of Polish science.
The innovative form of treatment for heart failure patients developed by WMU researchers was distinguished: “intravenous iron supplementation as a treatment reducing hospitalizations due to heart failure and improving the quality of life in heart failure patients with iron deficiency”. The awards team, led by prof. Piotr Suwalski, appreciated the achievements of prof. Piotr Ponikowski and prof. Ewa Jankowska “for developing a new form of treatment for heart failure patients with iron deficiency, which, based on the research carried out, was sanctioned in the recommendations of the European Society of Cardiology (2021 and 2023), achieving a strong impact on world medicine and a significant social effect, as well as great economic importance for health care systems”.
“The scientific achievement has a world-class level of innovation and novelty. The study was carried out as an international project, of which Polish professors were the originators and leaders” – it was noted in the resolution of the WMU Senate regarding the opinion in connection with the application for the Prime Minister’s award. In the resolution, the Senate emphasized the international clinical rank of the researchers’ achievement and the impact on cardiology and world medicine. This is evidenced by the fact that the publications created during the project were cited many times (over 550 times) and became the basis for formulating recommendations.
“The breakthrough results of the joint research project by Prof. Ewa Jankowska and Prof. Piotr Ponikowski, including the development of an innovative intravenous iron supplementation therapy for patients with heart failure after decompensation, have had a significant impact on evidence-based medicine. Their work, published in prestigious journals, contributed to changing treatment standards in Europe, which was approved by the European Society of Cardiology. In addition, Prof. Ponikowski and Prof. Jankowska, as leaders of the international AFFIRM-AHF project, have shown how treating iron deficiency can significantly reduce the risk of hospitalization and improve the quality of life of patients. Their work not only raises treatment standards, but also brings economic benefits to health systems, as confirmed by their publications with pharmacoeconomic analyses. Professors Ponikowski and Jankowska have demonstrated not only scientific excellence, but also an impact on clinical practice on a global scale, which makes them excellent candidates for this award,” we read in Resolution No. 2598.
