Recipharm reveals winner of 2017 International Environmental Award

Contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO), Recipharm, has revealed that the winner of its 2017 International Environmental Award is Karen Kidd, professor in Biology, and Geography & Earth Sciences at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario and Jarislowsky chair in Environment and Health.

The award will be presented at a prize ceremony, which will take place in Stockholm in September 2018. Recipharm will also simultaneously host a workshop evaluating the impact of pharmaceuticals on the environment. The programme and speakers will be announced later this spring.

Kidd’s research has been designed to improve the understanding of human impact on aquatic ecosystems — specifically how diverse effluents and contaminants affect the abundance and health of aquatic organisms.

“We are delighted to present the 2017 award to Karen Kidd,” said Lars Backsell, chairman of the board of Recipharm. “Her work, which explores the potential effects and risks of contaminants on fish and whole ecosystems, is truly impressive. This research will no doubt be essential in building commitment towards environmental matters and provides valuable guidance for future actions in order to decrease or avoid the negative effects of chemical contamination.”

“The combination of amazing research facilities like the IISD Experimental Lakes Area, considerable support from the federal government and private sector, and an outstanding group of collaborators have enabled us to advance the knowledge on how widely-used chemicals, including pharmaceuticals, are impacting the health and sustainability of aquatic systems,” Kidd added. “My experiences have absolutely reinforced the idea that collectively we can accomplish so much more towards solving pressing environmental issues and minimizing our impacts on water quality and aquatic ecosystems. I am very honoured to receive this award and thank Recipharm for the recognition of our research.”