Biochemist Fred Possmayer to enter Canadian Medical Hall of Fame

Biochemist Fred Possmayer will be inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame for pioneering a life-saving treatment for premature infants, the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry reported. His work helped create a surfactant treatment that has helped thousands of newborns overcome respiratory distress syndrome. [1]

Possmayer began his research at Western University in the 1970s. According to the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, more than half of premature babies who developed respiratory distress syndrome died from the condition at that time. Possmayer developed a surfactant treatment that altered those outcomes for newborns. [1]

The Canadian Medical Hall of Fame was founded in 1994 and maintains an exhibit hall in London, Ontario. The charitable organization honours individuals who have contributed to understanding disease and improving human health through an annual induction ceremony and virtual hall. [2]

The Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry reported that the surfactant therapy developed by Possmayer has been used to treat more than 160,000 premature babies in Canada and around the world, allowing generations of infants to survive their first days of life. [1]