THE 2024 AWARD

F
or this eighth edition of the Anne Maurer-Cecchini Award, 15 scientific articles of high value were submitted. We decided to attribute the 2024 Award to an important research study on leprosy conducted in Comoros and Madagascar :

Post-exposure prophylaxis in leprosy (PEOPLE) : a cluster randomised trial, 


This study describes the effect of distribution of single-dose rifampicin to potential contacts of patients with leprosy using different strategies. The maximal preventive effect at individual and community level was observed when all individuals living within 100m of a patient received treatment. The study was conducted among 109’436 inhabitants in 64 villages of Comoros and Madagascar. 



THE 2022 AWARD

F
or the seventh edition of the Anne Maurer-Cecchini Award, we received 16 submissions of high value. We decided to attribute the 2022 Award to an important research study that concerns human infection by the intestinal parasite Trichuris trichiura :

This study demonstrates the superiority of co-administered ivermectin-albendazole over albendazole monotherapy in three distinct epidemiological settings. (see publication)
The price money will help to better understand the different results observed in Côte d'Ivoire.


THE 2020 AWARD

W
e received 18 submissions for the 2020 award. All were interesting and the choice was difficult. We decided to attribute the 2020 award to a research study on rabies, an always lethal but preventable illness :

Tineke Cantaert et al. of the Pasteur Institut in Cambodge : for their article entitled :
A 1-week intradermal dose-sparing regimen for rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (RESIST-2): an observational cohort study.

This study shows that a post-exposure vaccination schedule made of 3 injections over 7 days is as efficacious and more practical than the classic 4-injections schedule over 28 days.


THE 2018 AWARDS

W
e received this year 17 applications of high quality. For this resaon, we decided to attribute two awards of CHF 20'000.- each to:

  • Hector H. Garcia et al of Lima, Peru for their article entitled "Elimination of Taenia solium Transmission in Northern Peru". In this remarkable research work that lasted more than 10 years, the authors evaluated a series of interventions focussing on both humans and pigs (mass treatment and vaccination) that led to the interruption of transmission of taenia solium in more than 100 villages of North-West Peru, where neurocysticercosis is a major public health problem. (See video) (See publication in NEJM)
  • Victor Kande Betu Ku Mesu et al for their outstanding randomized control trial entitled : "Oral fexinidazole for late-stage African Trypanosoma brucei gambiense trypanosomiasis: a pivotal multicentre, randomised, non-inferiority trial". In this trial conducted in remote rural areas of Democratic Republic of Congo, the authors showed that oral fexinidazole was an effective and safe treatment of advanced stage sleeping sickness. Such an oral treatment was awaited from several decades  and should facilitate the implementation of the WHO current strategy to eliminate sleeping sickness as a public health problem. (See video) (See publication in The Lancet)

The awards had been delivered during the closing session of the Geneva Health Forum April 12, 2018. See video from Prof HH Garcia  here .


THE 2016 AWARD

T
his year, we received 17 inscriptions to the Anne Maurer-Cecchini 2016 Award, all covering interesting researches in a great variety of domains. After a difficult choice, we are proud to attribute the 20'000 CHF prize to an outstanding epidemiologic study on lymphatic filariasis in Sri Lanka :

 Dr Ramakrishna U. Rao, Gary J. Weil et al, de la Washington University Scool of Medicine, St Louis; Missouri, USA :
A Comprehensive Assessment of Lymphatic Filariasis in Sri Lanks Six Years after Cessation of Mass Drug Administration. (see publication)

The award was delivered during the closing session of the Geneva Health Forum April 21, 2016. See the video the authors sent for projection during the ceremony.

    The prize money will be used for future studies in Sri Lanka.


THE 2014 AWARD

A
s usual, we received in 2014 number of inscriptions for the Anne Maurer-Cecchini Award, covering interesting researches. After a difficult choice, we are proud to attribute the 20'000 CHF prize to an outstanding research touching diagnostic that will certainly play an important part in the fight against the African Tripanosomiase :

  • Dr Philippe Büscher, Quentin Gilleman, Veerle Lejon, of the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp and Coris BioConcept, Gembloux, Belgium :
           Rapid Diagnostic Test for Sleeping Sickness.   
    (see article 1) or (article 2)

The award was delivered during the closing session of the Geneva Health Forum April 17, 2014.



THE 2012 AWARD

W
e received this year 13 inscriptions to the award Anne Maurer-Cecchini recovering research of great interest.
Finally, the 2012 award of 20'000 chf has been attributed to:

  • Dr Oriol Mitjà, Russel Hays, Anthony Ipai, Moses Penias, Raymond Paru, David Fagaho, Elisa de Lazzari, Quique Bassat  of Barcelone, Center for international Health Research and Lihir Medical Center, Papua New Guinea  for their outstanding clinical study:  Single-dose azithromycin versus benzathine benzylpenicillin for treatment of yaws in children in Papua New Guinea: an open-label, non-inferiority, randomised trial. (see publication).

to help them in their project for the eradication of yaws.

The award was delivered during the closing session of the Geneva Health Forum april 20, 2012. You can watch here the video message of Dr Oriol Mitja projected at these occasion.

We want to thanks the scientific comitee, reinforced this year by Dr Pierre Buffet of the hospital de la Pitié Salpêtrière in Paris, for having analysed the submitted researches.


THE 2010 AWARDS

W
e received 22 inscriptions to the award Anne Maurer-Cecchini recovering research of great interest.
We decided to reward 2 excellent studies by attributing 2 prices of 15'000 CHF each to:

  • Professor Shyam SUNDAR from the Banaras Hindu University, Vanarasi - India and his research group for their outstanding clinical study: Single-Dose Liposomal Amphotericin B for Visceral Leishmaniasis in India  (see publication)
  • Dr Gerardo PRIOTTO  from Epicentre, MSF, Paris - France and his research group for their outstanding clinical study: Nifurtimox-eflornithine combination therapy for second-stage African Trypanosoma brucei gambiense Trypanosomiasis: a multicenter, randomised, phase III, non-inferiority trial. (see publication)

The awards has been attributed during the closing session of the Geneva Health Forum, April 21, 2010.