The 20,000 euro award is presented by the Finnish Medical Foundation to a Finnish physician acknowledging prominent life-time achievements in the field of medicine.
The Finnish Medical Foundation has granted the award annually to a distinguished physician researcher since 1981. The award was made possible by a donation made to the Foundation by the Pohjola Assurance Companies in 1980.
The award recipient is selected by a committee consisting of the chairs of the Finnish Medical Foundation, the Finnish Medical Association, the Finnish Medical Society Duodecim and the Finnish Society of Medicine as well as two Pohjola representatives.