1978
Falk Foundation established
270+
Symposia and workshops held
1 Mio+
Researchers and physicians supported with knowledge
Falk Foundation over the years...
Science is constantly evolving. That is why medical specialists need a platform to connect, share their expertise, and further expand their knowledge.
In the field of continuing education for physicians in gastroenterology and hepatology, the Falk Foundation has left a lasting mark thanks to its well-established international and national event formats and its broad portfolio of scientific literature.
Discover some of the Foundation’s important milestones below. For further insights, read the interview with Dr. Martin Falk for additional details about the Falk Foundation. You can also learn more about the Falk Foundation’s scientific members and our commitment to supporting early career researchers through scientific awards.
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60s
1967
@Falk Foundation The first international Falk symposium devoted to “Jaundice” takes place in Freiburg with 800 participants from 17 countries.
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70s
1971
@ Falk Foundation Falk launches its regularly published literature series Hepatology Rapid Literature Review (HRLR) and Gastroenterology Rapid Literature Review (GRLR).
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1973
First presentation of the Thannhauser Prize, donated by Falk, to Prof. Dr. Meinhard Classen.
Learn moreThe prize is awarded at the Annual Meeting of the German Society for Digestive and Metabolic Diseases (DGVS), alternating with the Thannhauser Medal every other year.
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1974
The Falk Foundation organizes its first regional continuing medical education events.
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1976
@Falk Foundation “Liver Week” takes place outside Germany for the first time, hosted in Basel (Switzerland) with over 2,000 participants from 48 countries (“Basel Liver Week”).
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1978
@ iStock 1092776086 Dr. Dr. Herbert Falk founds the Falk Foundation e.V. on January 11, 1978.
Learn moreDr. Dr. Herbert Falk founds the Falk Foundation e.V. on January 11, 1978.
The other founding members include Ursula Falk, Dr. Felix Stilz, Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Gerok, Prof. Dr. Kurt Sickinger, Prof. Dr. Werner Reutter, and INTERFALK AG (represented by Director Rene R. Cackett).
The goal of the independent organization is to foster exchange between medicine and pharmacy in the fields of gastroenterology and hepatology.
The Falk Foundation is initially divided into the areas of “Congress Organization” and “Literature Service.”
Congress Organization
- International Falk symposia and workshops
- Patient seminars
- Scientific awards
Literaturservice- Abstract collections
- Brochures for physicians and patients
- Bibliographical services
- Congress reports
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80s
1980
@Falk Foundation The Adolf Windaus Award for outstanding achievements in the area of bile acid research is presented for the first time: to Curt Einarsson and Kjell Hellström from Stockholm (Sweden).
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1986
@Falk Foundation The first symposium outside Europe takes place in Montreal (Canada).
Learn moreAdditional worldwide events are conducted in the subsequent years, at venues including Lake Louise (Canada); Halifax (Canada); Acapulco (Mexico); Quebec City (Canada); San Diego, CA (USA); Santiago de Chile (Chile); Hong Kong (China); St. Petersburg (Russia); Lviv (Ukraine); Tbilisi (Georgia); Istanbul (Turkey); Sydney (Australia); Moscow (Russia); Hangzhou (China); Miami, FL (USA); Beijing (China); Brisbane (Australia); Kyiv (Ukraine); Kyoto (Japan); and Shenzhen (China).
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1986
The Gastroenterology Week Titisee is established. Held every two years, the event remains successful and was conducted for the 20th time in 2024.
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1988
@Falk Foundation The Falk Foundation publishes the quarterly literature service "Gastroenterology/Hepatology Update".
Learn moreEach curated collection contains 50 to 60 publications, selected and summarized from international medical journals. The journal is first published in German and later in English, Polish, Russian, and Chinese, reaching a circulation of 100,000.
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90s
1991
Wikimedia Commons, Porträt von Adolf Kußmaul (1822-1902), Lizenz unter CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en The first Adolf Kußmaul Prize is awarded. The prize is granted to early career researchers for outstanding original publications in gastroenterology and hepatology.
Wikimedia Commons, Porträt von Adolf Kußmaul (1822-1902), Lizenz unter CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en -
1997
@ Falk Foundation The 100th Falk symposium, entitled “Gut and the Liver,” is held at the Freiburg Concert Hall with 1,100 participants from 50 countries.
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1998
@Falk Foundation The HRLR and GRLR literature collections are released on CD-ROM.
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2000s
2001
@ iStock 1422958312 The first Lüneburg Gastroenterological Seminar takes place.
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2003
@ Falk Foundation The Falk Gastro Forums are established as a training format comprising eight workshops per year across Germany.
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2004
@ iStock 1875452274 The first Potsdam Gastroenterological Seminar takes place.
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2006
Since 1974, more than one million participants have used the Falk Foundation’s CME offerings.
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2006
@ Falk Foundation The Gastroenterology/Hepatology Update literature service is renamed Falk Gastro Review Journal (FGR) and relaunched with a new layout. In September 2006, the Falk Gastro Kolleg (now FGE – Falk Gastro Education) appears for the first time.
Learn moreEach quarterly journal features three review articles from the fields of gastroenterology and hepatology and is certified for CME by the Baden-Württemberg Medical Association.
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2009
Quelle: Wikimedia Commons, Portraitfoto Ludwig Demling, Lizenz unter CC BY-SA 3.0 DE https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/de/deed.en The first Ludwig Demling Research Prize for clinical projects in inflammatory bowel disease is awarded to Raja N. Atreya in Leipzig (Germany).
Learn moreThe photo shows Ludwig Demling (1921–1995), a world-renowned researcher, scientific author, university professor, and head of hospital specialized in gastroenterology.
Quelle: Wikimedia Commons, Portraitfoto Ludwig Demling, Lizenz unter CC BY-SA 3.0 DE https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/de/deed.en -
2010
@ Falk Foundation On the occasion of the fourth Falk Gastro Conference in Freiburg, the first Herbert Falk Award is presented to Paul Rutgeerts from Leuven (Belgium).
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2015
@ Falk Foundation As part of the eighth Falk Gastro Conference in Freiburg, the 200th Falk Foundation symposium is held under the title “Therapeutic Strategies in Diseases of the Digestive Tract – 2015 and Beyond.”
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2018
@ Falk Foundation Dr. Martin Falk becomes the Chairman of the Falk Foundation.
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2019
The first independent members are appointed, forming the basis of the Falk Foundation.
Learn morePhysicians Prof. Dr. Dieter Häussinger, Prof. Dr. Jürgen Schölmerich, Prof. Dr. Raja N. Atreya, Prof. Dr. Axel Dignaß, Prof. Dr. Stefan Fichtner-Feigl, Prof. Dr. Verena Keitel-Anselmino, Dr. Dagmar Mainz, Prof. Dr. Julia Mayerle, Prof. Dr. Gerhard Rogler, Prof. Dr. Britta Siegmund, Prof. Dr. Frank Tacke, Prof. Dr. Robert Thimme, and Prof. Dr. Heiner Wedemeyer, together with Dr. Martin Falk, contribute their expertise to the Falk Foundation.
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2021
@ Falk Foundation The Falk Foundation launches its own independent website and LinkedIn channel, separate from Dr. Falk Pharma.
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2022
@ Falk Foundation As part of the 19th Gastroenterology Week Titisee, the Wolfgang Gerok Prize is awarded for the first time: to Stephan Urban from Heidelberg.
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2023
@ Falk Foundation FGR and FGK are published in Germany with a circulation of 25,000 printed copies each and are now also available for download on the Falk Foundation website. FGR is produced worldwide in 13 country-specific editions.
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2025
@ Falk Foundation With its German staff now numbering 16, Falk Foundation begins its global expansion, starting with Austria, the Benelux countries, and Switzerland.
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