Rewarding Excellence, Encouraging Leadership... » Bioethics 

Past Winners

Prof. María Graciela de Ortúzar, Facultad de Ciencias Jurídicas y Sociales, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Argentina. Research Project:
"Justice, Health Care Right, Intellectual Property Policies and Human Genome"

Young Scholar Awarded Prominent Grant for Pioneering Research in Bioethics in Latin America

WASHINGTON, DC, September 27, 2004-Today, before an international forum of high-level government health officials, ambassadors and other VIPs, a young researcher, Professor Maria Graciela de Ortúzar of Argentina accepted the Manuel Velasco-Suárez Award in Bioethics for her proposed work to research and develop a new international framework on the benefits of genetic research for Latin America.

On behalf of the Board of Trustees of the Pan American Health and Education Foundation, Ms. Patricia Schroeder presented a certificate of honor and the grant to Professor de Ortúzar during the 45th Annual Directing Council meeting of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). PAHO's Director, Dr. Mirta Roses Periago, gave her a silver medallion, a gift from the family of Dr. Manuel Velasco-Suárez who was also in attendance, to memorialize his spirit of being united to protect the dignity of humankind via bioethics. Ms. Schroeder remarked on the timeliness of Prof. de Ortúzar's proposed work entitled International Justice, Right to Health, Intellectual Property, and the Human Genome and its importance for Latin America. Ms. Schroeder concluded with, “We are proud to add your name to the list of international health leaders who have been recognized in this forum.”

At a luncheon held earlier in the day, the Executive Director of the Pan American Health and Education Foundation, Ms. Jess Gersky, thanked and congratulated Prof. de Ortúzar for her initiative and leadership in the field of bioethics in the Americas. She noted that “Bioethics has implications extending to highly diverse areas, such as the fields of the social sciences, health care and public health. Professor de Ortúzar joins other pioneer bioethicists on their journey to humanize and mediate the headlong advance of science, technology and global development based on the interaction and dialogue between experts and lay people.”

The Manuel Velasco-Suárez in Bioethics was established to honor the late Dr. Velasco-Suárez of Mexico, a pioneer in the field of bioethics in Latin America and to promote this emerging discipline. To stimulate young scholars in the development of their capacities for bioethical analysis, the Secretary of Health in Mexico and the Foundation in cooperation with PAHO created this award in 2002. This award is one of five awards of the Awards for Excellence in Inter-American Public Health Program, a partnership between the Foundation and PAHO.

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