Europe’s top scientific papers on drug-related topics will be acknowledged this year in a new award launched by the EU drugs agency (EMCDDA). The prize giving, to take place annually in Lisbon, will celebrate excellence in scientific writing in this area of critical concern to EU citizens. The inaugural event will take place in the margins of the EMCDDA Scientific Committee meeting, being held in the Portuguese capital from 14–15 November. This EMCDDA advisory body is composed of 16 renowned scientists appointed on the basis of merit and independence.
Articles eligible for nomination for the award will focus on illicit drugs, although findings on licit substances may also be included. The articles will have been published in 2010 in peer-reviewed scientific journals, with the primary author based in an EU Member State or Norway.
Entries may be submitted in any of the 23 languages of the European Union or in Norwegian, along with an abstract in English.
The acclaimed articles will meet the criteria of:
- scientific significance;
- EU policy relevance;
- originality and creativity;
- clarity and quality of writing.
The importance of scientific publishing has been underlined regularly by the Scientific Committee as evidence of scientific excellence. The upcoming (non-monetary) prize originated in these discussions.
Commenting on the initiative, EMCDDA Director Wolfgang Götz said: ‘Our Scientific Committee provides a strong voice for scientific standards and I welcome its initiative for lauding the best scientific papers in our field of drugs and drug addiction. Ensuring that the findings of European research are made available to the policy and practice community is an important issue. I hope this award will become a useful channel for disseminating these results‘.
The award is now open. Nominations close on 2 May 2011.
The jury — composed of members of the Committee and EMCDDA staff — will select up to 10 top articles from a variety of disciplines, nationalities and languages.
Notification of the selected articles will also be made via the EMCDDA website and publications.
Editors of journals in which a successful article was published will be informed of the outcome of the award.
