The Scientific Senate of the Dan Voiculescu Foundation for the Development of Romania is a scientific partner of the "Ana Aslan" Gala 2024. The event is dedicated to the 50th anniversary of Ana Aslan's admission to the Romanian Academy and is organized at the initiative of the Ana Aslan Foundation, chaired by Dr. Speranta Prada.
"Our collaboration with the Scientific Senate reflects the shared concerns that we both hold dear – both the Ana Aslan Foundation, which celebrates the legacy left by Ana Aslan, and the Scientific Senate, which strives to contribute to the enhancement of quality of life. Collectively, we can contribute to this significant objective: to extend the duration of life and to enrich the quality of life," stated Speranta Prada, President of the Ana Aslan Foundation.
The "Ana Aslan" Gala, dedicated to Romania's most renowned geriatrician, who developed the inaugural pharmaceutical agent capable of decelerating the aging process, will convene eminent figures from the realms of science, medicine, and innovation, unified by a common aspiration to perpetuate this vision, advance the well-being of the elderly, and promote active longevity.
At the forthcoming "Ana Aslan" Gala, the Scientific Senate will present the preliminary findings of the research project "Longevity Map of Romania". This interdisciplinary scientific study examines the phenomenon of active and healthy ageing, a concept that Ana Aslan espoused throughout her career.
The "Ana Aslan" Gala offers a distinctive forum for exploring contemporary approaches to the challenges of ageing. It provides an opportunity to reflect on the pioneering work of Ana Aslan, a highly esteemed individual who has received over 80 awards, honours and titles, the majority of which have been bestowed at the international level.
The establishment of the Ana Aslan National Institute of Geriatrics and Gerontology in 1952 constituted a historic moment not only for Romania, but for global medicine as a whole, placing our country at the centre of innovations in elderly care and longevity studies. From 1958 until her death in 1988, Ana Aslan, also known as "the woman who conquered old age", presided over the world's first Institute of Geriatrics (the branch that studies and treats the diseases of old age) in Romania. Building upon Parhon's research, Aslan demonstrated that there is a distinction between biological and chronological age. She demonstrated that it is possible for an elderly person to lead a healthy and active life.
Since the 1950s, Ana Aslan has demonstrated that the care of the elderly and research in this field should not be regarded as a mere medical necessity, but rather as an area of continuous innovation, a cornerstone for a healthy society. As a partner of the Ana Aslan Gala, the Scientific Senate updates Aslan's message for the 21st century, in a context where active ageing is of greater importance than ever.
Ana Aslan was the first researcher to propose that longevity should not be measured in years, but in quality of life. As a pioneer in the field of geriatrics, Aslan is widely recognised for her contributions to the study of the ageing process, which brought international recognition to Romania.
In 1958, within the Institute he headed, he set up a social gerontology section - the aim of which was to study old age from a medical, social, economic and psychological point of view. What today, The Scientific Senate is doing as part of the "Longevity Map of Romania" research program.
In 1964, the World Health Organization recommended the Institute, led by Ana Aslan, as a model of organisation for all other similar institutions worldwide.
Ana Aslan was instrumental in the global acceptance of Gerovital H3, a patented treatment available in over 30 countries in the form of drops, cream, or hair lotion. Notable personalities who have received treatment from Ana Aslan include Salvador Dalí, Charlie Chaplin, Pablo Neruda, Onassis, Charles de Gaulle and Jacqueline Kennedy. In the history of Romanian medicine, no other doctor has been as in demand by prominent figures as Ana Aslan has been. These individuals have included kings, heads of state, renowned writers and celebrities.
In 1980, Aslan and Polovrăgeanu were granted a patent for Aslavital, a treatment designed to enhance the nervous and cardiovascular systems. The invention has been registered in 154 countries, where it is protected by both holographic trademarks.
