Bell’s palsy study wins RCGP/MSD 2007 Research Paper of
the Year Award
12.06.08
A study into the treatment of Bell’s palsy has
won the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) and Merck
Sharp & Dohme Limited (MSD) 2007 Research Paper of the Year
Award.
Now in its twelfth year, the award recognises
an exceptional piece of original research relating to general
practice or primary care that has been published in a peer reviewed
journal during the preceding year.
Originally published in the New England
Journal of Medicine, the winning paper ‘Early treatment with
prednisolone or acyclovir in Bell’s palsy’ addressed the
question of the most effective treatment for Bell’s palsy, an
idiopathic weakness of the facial nerve from which up to 30 per
cent of patients make an incomplete recovery.
The authors, from the universities of Dundee,
Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh, and St John’s Hospital in
Livingston, were praised by the judging panel for their “very
rigorous study” which gave GPs “reliable guidance for the first
time on how Bell’s palsy should be managed.”
The award - together with a cheque for £1,000
provided by MSD - was presented by Dr Paul Robinson, Medical
Director of MSD, at an Awards Dinner held at the RCGP in
London.
"We are proud to support the Research
Paper of the Year Award", said Dr Robinson. "The winning paper is a
great example of scientifically robust research, carried out in UK
General Practice, answering a real, practical question - how best
to manage Bell's Palsy.
“Through the RCGP/MSD Research Paper of the
Year Award, we hope that the importance of such work is highlighted
and more GPs and primary care teams are encouraged to get involved
in research."
The 2007 Highly Commended Research Paper of
the Year Award was given to a team of researchers from Birmingham
University for their paper ‘Warfarin versus aspirin for stroke
prevention in an elderly community population with atrial
fibrillation (the Birmingham Atrial Fibrillation Treatment of the
Aged Study, BAFTA): a randomised controlled trial’, which was
first published in the Lancet.
Professor Greg Rubin, Chair of the Award
Panel, said: “The ‘Highly Commended’ award is only given in
exceptional circumstances. We chose to commend this paper in
recognition of the scientific quality and the complexity of its
execution, and for its great value for practising clinicians in
managing the care of an increasingly aged population.”
Ends
Images of the winning authors are
available from Lorna Fletcher in the RCGP press office 020 7344
3136 / press@rcgp.org.uk
NOTES TO EDITORS
- ‘Early treatment with prednisolone or acyclovir in Bell’s
palsy’ can be downloaded from http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/357/16/1598
- ‘Warfarin versus aspirin for stroke prevention in an
elderly community population with atrial fibrillation (the
Birmingham Atrial Fibrillation Treatment of the Aged Study, BAFTA):
a randomised controlled trial’ can be downloaded from http://www.lancet.com/
- More information about the Research Paper of the Year Award can
be found at
http://www.rcgp.org.uk/continuing_the_gp_journey/circ/research/research_paper_of_the_year.aspx
- The Royal College of General Practitioners is a network of over
35,000 family doctors working to improve care for patients. We work
to encourage and maintain the highest standards of general medical
practice and act as the voice of GPs on education, training,
research and clinical standards.
- Merck Sharp & Dohme Limited (MSD) is the UK subsidiary of
Merck & Co., Inc., of Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, USA, a
leading research-based pharmaceutical company that discovers,
develops, manufactures and markets a wide range of innovative
pharmaceutical products to improve human health.