I congratulate all the authors whose research has met the high standards required for publication in the most prestigious scientific journals and I encourage everyone to participate in the International Medis Awards also in the future.

Over the course of a decade, the Awards have become a respected professional reference in medical and pharmaceutical circles. As the initiator of the Awards, I view this with great satisfaction and pride.

Our mission is to improve the quality of life of patients in our region, and the role of doctors and pharmacists is indispensable in this. That is why we are the main sponsor of the IMA contest already for the tenth year. I believe that by supporting these Awards, we are strengthening optimism in medicine and pharmacy, promoting confidence in science and helping to create a better future for us all.

Working in science is hard work full of challenges. If you are doing this on top of your regular clinical work, especially in countries where there is not much money or support for research, then your commitment to science is truly remarkable. This undoubtedly deserves wider attention from the professional and lay public. At the same time, the Awards help to build the confidence and reputation of hard-working doctors and pharmacists who are helping people to get better treatment options.

Beyond human relationships, I am driven by an insatiable desire to learn as much as I can about the things that interest me, and research is a great way to do that. I am eternally grateful for having the opportunity to do so.

I think that the combination of medicine and science is an excellent pairing, and our civilization probably would not be at this level without science. Every one of us who is trying to better ourselves needs science and scientific research, and I think that's the answer for all professions in humanity, especially in medicine.

If you do research, you have to do it honestly and you have to be sure of what you are doing. You have to be convinced that what you are doing is important for everything and everybody.

It's a great honor to be a finalist, and it confirms that all that I do every day in my clinic and also in my research is worthwhile. It's also a great motivation to continue with further research and ideas.