Klinická farmakologie a farmacie – 4/2020

www.klinickafarmakologie.cz 158 HLAVNÍ TÉMA Tribute Czech Clinical Pharmacology KLINICKÁ FARMAKOLOGIE A FARMACIE / Klin FarmakolFarm 2020; 34(4): 158 / Tribute Czech Clinical Pharmacology Folke Sjöqvist’s overall importance for Clinical Pharmacology Professor Folke Sjöqvist passed away onMarch 30, 2020 at the age of 86 years in Stockholm, Sweden. Hewas a true pioneer in clinical pharma‑ cologyworld‑wide and the founder of thismedical specialty both in Swedish healthcare and acade‑ mia. It is almost impossible to cover all areas where Folke made important contributions so below follows only a selection of some true milestones in our broad discipline. Folke’s career started at Karolinska Institutet with an MD‑degree in 1959 followed by experi‑ mental research and a PhD on cholinergic trans‑ mission in 1962. As post‑doctoral fellow, he joined the legendary Bernard B. Brodie’s laboratory at the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, USA. Hewas then introduced to the field of drug metabolism and novel methods of drug analysis in biological matrices. These tools made it possible to study interindividual variability in pharmacokinetics and Folke early understood this would be of significa‑ nt clinical relevance as a guide for individualised dosing in many therapeutic areas. In Karolinska University Hospital today, our laboratory service covers therapeutic drugmonitoring of more than 150 agents, mainly immune‑modulating drugs, anti‑epileptics, anti‑infectives, psychiatric drugs, cardiovascular drugs, and antineoplastic drugs. During his American post‑doc period, Folke also studied scientific approaches to clinical trials at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, under the mentorship of Professor Louis Lasagna. Perhaps he already then could foresee that clinical phar‑ macology would develop a leadership in critical drug evaluation and evidence‑based medicine, including the establishment of drug information centers with individual, case‑based pharma‑ cotherapeutic advice and the evidence‑based input to Drug and Therapeutics Committees at the regional or national level. Obviously, clinical trial design remains a key competence for clinical pharmacologists in academia, the pharmaceuti‑ cal industry and drug regulatory agencies. Folke became the first Swedish chair in clinical pharmacology, in Linköping back in 1970 and thereafter at Karolinska Institutet from 1972 at the newly established Huddinge University Hospital. His early academic work included pioneering twin studies to identify genetic dif ferences in the metabolism and pharmacokinetics of antidepressant drugs, later characterised in detail in relation to the CYP2D6 polymorphism. Under his leadership, this pharmacogenetic field developed rapi‑ dly especially through translational, mecha‑ nistic studies in collaboration with Magnus Ingelman‑Sundberg at Karolinska Campus. Today, there are several clinical examples whe‑ re patient genotyping is recommended prior to treatment as a basis for drug selection and/ or individualised starting dose. The academic activities initiated by Folke have remained high for decades with numerous internatio‑ nal guests and long‑standing collaborations with Europe and other continents, employing both mechanistic‑molecular and pharmaco­ ‑epidemiological approaches. Folke’s international commitments were countless and included among others IUPHAR (International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology), the WHO, CIOMS (Council for International Organizations of Medical Science) and EACPT (European Association for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics). Folke was curious by nature and had a strong research mind willing to explore and ex‑ plain variability in the effects of drug treatment on different patients. He understood intuitively how experimental methods and drug assays could be applied clinically to improve patient care. He always argued for the importance of clinical pharmacology making a difference in healthcare and thereby positioned the discipline well‑integrated in the hospital and the clinical needs of the healthcare system. Folke has been a strong inspiration and mentor for us and many other colleagues. We remember Folke as a visionary, energizing and powerful leader. He cared about his staff and collaborators irrespective of background or position. Folke was long active and dedicated to our work and development for years after retirement. We keep him and his excellent achie‑ vements in fond memory. Marja‑Liisa Dahl Professor, Senior physician Clinical head of Department of Clinical Pharmacology Erik Eliasson Professor and Senior physician Medical head of Laboratory Services Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Pharmacology, Stockholm Sweden