An Irish research clinician working in the US has won a major international award.
Dr Garret FitzGerald, based at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, shared the prize with Dr Carlo Patrono of the Catholic University of Rome.
The Grand Prix Scientifique is given by the Institute de France to recognise major achievements in research. FitzGerald, originally from Dublin, and Dr Patrono share the €500,000 prize for their development of low-dose aspirin as a treatment for the prevention of cardiovascular disease.
They discovered how low doses of aspirin could act on blood cells called platelets to stop their role in blocking arteries to cause heart attacks and strokes.
This therapy is now in widespread use across the world.
Both are the chairmen of the department of pharmacology in their respective universities.
