ACADEMY OF MEDICAL SCIENCES OF UKRAINE

The creation of the Academy of Medical Sciences was a logical and necessary stage in the development of medical science in Ukraine. It was logical because the Ukrainian medical science has a rich history, associated with the names of outstanding scientists within the field of theoretical, clinical and preventive medicine of the past and present time, who had created the well-known scientific schools within domestic research-and-development institutions and medical higher educational institutions. It was a necessary stage because it is the Academy that is capable of effectively solving such problems, as definition of priority directions of the medical science development, conduction of fundamental and applied research at high scientific and methodical level, promotion of integration of academic, University and branch medical sciences, and formation of a common policy within the sphere. The creation of the Academy of Medical Sciences had confirmed the state's intentions to develop medical science for the purpose of maintaining health care of the Ukrainian population at the appropriate level.

In 1991, a department of medical issues was established within the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (former Academy of Sciences of USSR). The leading scientists and doctors, however, admitted the necessity of creation of the Academy of Medical Sciences in Ukraine. In November, 1992, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine passed the Law on "Fundamentals of health care legislation in Ukraine", whereas its 20^th article included the following: "The Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine is the highest scientific medical institution of Ukraine, being the self-governing organization with its own charter, and independent as regards conduction of research and development of scientific search directions". In order to execute this Law, the creation of Academy had been started. The principles of organization of the Academy of Medical Sciences had been discussed at the meeting of the president of the National Academy of Sciences, academician Paton B.E., and academicians M.G. Amosov, O.F. Vozianov, J.I. Kundiev, O.M. Lukyanov, V.V. Frol'kis and V.V. Shalimov with the President of Ukraine, L.G. Kravchuk. On February 24, 1993, the President of Ukraine signed the Decree, as a result of which the Academy of Medical Sciences (AMS) was founded, its status, principal tasks and established strength defined. For the President Decree to be implemented, a resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine was passed, which had appointed O.F. Vozianov as the president and organizer of the Academy, 25 academicians as founders, as well as determined the list of scientific institutions to join the Academy.

Later, at the General Meeting of the AMS of Ukraine, academician O.F. Vozianov was elected as president of the Academy, academicians J.P. Kukushka and V.V. Frol'kis as vice-presidents, and after death of the latter academician J.I. Kundiev was elected as vice-president. One more vice-president position was hereafter taken by academician L.G. Rozenfel'd. Until 1997, the position of Chief Academic Secretary of the Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine (AMSU) had been held by the corresponding member of AMSU, J.I. Gubs'kyy, and since 1997 the position had been taken by the corresponding member of AMSU, V.A. Michnyov.

The AMS of Ukraine initially included 13 scientific institutions. For the past 15 years, there had been created still more six scientific institutions. Moreover, in 2000, in accordance with the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, still more 18 scientific research-and-development institutes were placed under the Academy authority. The AMS institutions number over 20 thousand workers, including about three thousand scientists, with 2500 doctors and candidates of science among them. The Academy personnel include 34 full members and 75 corresponding members.

From the beginning of its activity, the Presidium of the Academy of Medical Sciences had recognized that the Academy authority should be first of all determined by the level of scientific research, conducted in its institutes.

The Academy Presidium had formulated and approved three basic directions, which are important for theoretical and applied medicine, and according to which the research and development works are conducted within the Academy institutes:

1) studying of basic mechanisms of body vital activity and pathology development;

2) development of essentially new methods of diagnostics, treatment and prevention of the most widespread human diseases, ways of health promotion and lifetime prolongation;

3) discovery of mechanisms and ways of prevention of adverse health influence exerted by environmental factors (including radiation) and working conditions.

One of the important peculiarities of the Academy activity is that it provides regular communication of key scientists. In the Academy under its Presidium there were created two scientific councils - on clinical medicine, as well as on theoretical and preventive medicine - which include the Academy members and directors of scientific institutions. At the meetings of scientific councils, monthly discussed are the most topical issues of modern medicine, approved are the subjects of the scheduled research, directors' reports on the results of scientific institutions activity.

Among the Academy major tasks, one should first of all mark out the development of fundamental research. The solution of many applied problems is impossible without progress in the field of fundamental development. That is why, within the Academy scientific institutions much attention is given to study of etiology and pathogenesis of a pathology basic forms, mechanisms of human development and ageing, neurohumoral regulation of organs and systems, immunologic reactance and its disorders. From the beginning of the 21st century, after discovery of the human genome structure, science had entered the era of genomics and proteomics. Still greater possibilities of treatment of many diseases were revealed after discovery of stem cells and their use with the purpose of growth of organs or their parts. In order to develop this perspective direction, the Institute of Genetic and Regenerative Medicine was created in the Academy in 2007.

Considerable attention is also focused on applied research. Each year, scientific workers of the AMS institutes develop, improve and introduce into the health care practice hundreds of new methods of diagnostics, treatment and prevention of many diseases, new medicines, food supplements, new foodstuff for children and adults.

About 200 monographies, textbooks, manuals and atlases are published by the Academy scientists annually. Besides, published is the scholarly "Journal of the Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine", under the auspices of the Academy scientific institutions published are core magazines and digests, where results of scientific research are presented.

The high level of scientific research of the Academy scientists can be confirmed by the fact that almost each year the institutes’ research teams are awarded State prizes of Ukraine in the field of science and technology.

The institutes of the AMS of Ukraine effectively cooperate with many scientific institutions of the National Academy of Sciences. Joining of efforts of the two academies enables to solve the most challenging problems of clinical and theoretical medicine at high scientific level.

The majority of Academy institutes have powerful treatment bases, whereas highly qualified specialized medical aid (stationary and advisory) is annually granted to hundred thousand patients from different regions of Ukraine. Together with the Ukrainian Ministry of Health, the institutes take part in the organization of specialized medical aid within the country.

Important is also the participation of the Academy scientists in legislative and scientific-and-organizational activities, aimed at improvement of the health protection organization and development of medical science in Ukraine, in preparation of draft laws of Ukraine, resolutions of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, other regulatory documents. One should also note regular active participation of the Academy institutions in development and implementation of national and state programs meant to control the most widespread and difficult diseases, protect the environment, reduce the sickness rate and increase the population longevity.

International ties are the integral part of the Academy activity, the effectiveness of which is based on cooperation with foreign partners. The leading experts of the Academy institutes and their research work are well-known within scientific and medical circles abroad. The Academy scientists are members of over 100 international scientific organizations, medical associations, foreign academies, advisers or experts of such authoritative organizations as WHO, IAEA and others. However, foreign scientists also have the honor of being the members the AMS of Ukraine - these are seventeen outstanding scientists from the countries of Europe, Russia, USA, Japan, with Nobel prize winners among them.

Today the Academy of Medical Sciences has an enormous creative potential, supported through the activity of well-known scientific schools, high professionalism and talent of our scientists and clinicians. This is evidenced by high authority the Academy enjoys in Ukraine and abroad, as well as by appreciable contribution made by the Academy scientists to the development of medical science and health care of our country.      

President of the AMS of Ukraine
Hero of Ukraine
Academician

O.F. Vozianov