One million USD kick-starts the world’s first-ever professorship in anti-doping in society and sport.

Doping has grown and become a serious public health issue. Doping substances 
are no longer considered as performance enhancing drugs alone, but rather as performance and image enhancing drugs. They are today easily accessible on the Internet and increasingly reach younger users.

In his speech Professor Ljungqvist unveiled that the professorship already has financial commitments from organizations and private persons from the USA and Sweden, covering the first one million dollars. The professorship will be established at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, where the requirements for a long-lasting professorship of this scale is in total 4-5 million USD.

Anders Hamsten, President of Karolinska Institutet:
“ – Karolinska Institutet’s research focuses on the causes, prevention and treatment of illness and disease. In a similar fashion, there is a need to address the knowledge gap surrounding the prevention of doping-related problems. Karolinska Institutet has world-leading clinical pharmacology research and a world-class doping laboratory within the university campus. These resources give KI the best possible conditions to support and promote the new anti-doping professorship.”

Professor Arne Ljungqvist, Chairman:
“ – Doping has declared war not only with the world of sports but the general public as well. We need to know our enemy better and therefore initiate, conduct and convey interdisciplinary research on the misuse of doping substances in order to raise awareness and to change attitudes and the legal framework in the society. I am pleased that Karolinska Institutet is willing to team up on this mission and by that I know that we have undisputed capabilities within arms reach for trustworthy scientific studies.”

Professor Ljungqvist continues:
“ – To use medications and medical treatments on healthy people is against the basic principle of medical ethics, there should always be an illness or a medical indication in place. Public health and clean sports are essential parts of the social life in any society, and to promote a healthy lifestyle for young people as well as elderly is certainly in the interest of humanity.”