Sandra Wigginton
Education Administrator
University of Colorado Denver
Infectious Diseases Fellowship Training Program
12700 E. 19th Avenue, B-168
Aurora, CO 80045
Phone - 303-724-4932
Fax - 303-724-4926
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From: Campbell, Thomas
Sent: Wednesday, June 09, 2010 10:44 AM
To: Dolan, Brandi
Cc: Wigginton, Sandra; Madinger, Nancy
Subject: RE: Theodore Eickhoff, MD, presented the Merieux Award
Brandi,
Please send this out to the ID Division email list and add this to the recent events section of the
Division website. Thanks.
Tom
From: Brinkman, Jackie
Sent: Tuesday, June 08, 2010 10:41 AM
To: Brinkman, Jackie
Subject: Theodore Eickhoff, MD, presented the Merieux Award
For Immediate Release
Contact: Jackie Brinkman, 303.724.1525, Jackie.brinkman@ucdenver.edu
Theodore Eickhoff, MD, presented the Mérieux Award
AURORA, Colo. (June 8, 2010) Theodore Eickhoff, MD, professor emeritus in
the Division of Infectious Disease at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, was
presented the 2010 Charles Mérieux Award at the annual conference on vaccine research.
The Mérieux Award is named in honor of Dr. Charles Mérieux, a French scientist and
visionary who devoted his life to the prevention of infectious diseases through vaccines.
Eickhoff has been a champion of adult immunization for more than four decades. He is
committed to educating his colleagues about balanced assessments of benefits, costs and
risks of routine vaccination to prevent diphtheria, tetanus, measles, rubella, influenza,
hepatitis B and pneumococcal disease.
“Most important is our role in the education of tomorrow’s primary care providers,” says
Eickhoff. “Adult immunization will be seen as important by clinicians only when it is
continually emphasized to them in their training programs.”
At the annual conference, Eickhoff addressed adult immunization challenges he’s noted
throughout the years such as public ignorance, professional apathy, high costs and the
haphazard organization of immunization efforts. He also addressed progress that he
attributes to greatly improved professional education, media support in public education
and the increasing prominence of preventive medicine. Also contributing to progress has
been improved reimbursement of health care providers and improvements in record
keeping and immunization distribution channels.
Eickhoff was recruited to the Department of Medicine at the Health Sciences Center in
1967, and 6 months later was appointed head of the new division of infectious disease.
Ten years later, Eickhoff was appointed chief of medicine at Denver General Hospital,
now Denver Health Medical Center. In 1981, he became Director of Internal Medicine at
Presbyterian St. Luke’s Medical Center. In 1991, he returned to the Health Sciences
Center to pursue his research interests. He was awarded emeritus status in 2003 but still
remains active within the Infectious Disease Division.
Charles Mérieux developed the laboratory founded by his father, turning it into one of the
leading vaccine manufacturing companies in the world. The company is now known as
sanofi pasteur, the underwriter of the unrestricted educational grant supporting the
Mérieux Award. The award was presented April 26, 2010.
Faculty at the University of Colorado School of Medicine work to advance science and
improve care. These faculty members include physicians, educators and scientists at
University of Colorado Hospital, The Children’s Hospital, Denver Health, National
Jewish Health, and the Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Degrees offered by the
UC School of Medicine include doctor of medicine, doctor of physical therapy, and
masters of physician assistant studies. The School is located on the University of
Colorado’s Anschutz Medical Campus, one of four campuses in the University of
Colorado system. For additional news and information, please visit the UC Denver
newsroom online.
###
Jackie Brinkman
Office of Integrated University Communications
University of Colorado Denver
Anschutz Medical Campus
303-724-1525 (office)
303-501-4250 (cell)