Joan Colom i Farran, PhD.
Physician with a postgraduate qualification in Public Health, a Master’s degree in Executive Management from ESADE Business School, and a Master’s degree in Drug Dependence from the University of Barcelona.
He is the author of numerous national and international articles and publications in the fields of addictions, HIV, sexually transmitted infections, and viral hepatitis, as well as many presentations and papers delivered at national and international meetings and conferences.
He has served as an advisor to the World Health Organization and as a member of 20 scientific societies and commissions. Throughout his career, he has received numerous awards and distinctions, including the White Cross of Merit from Spain’s National Plan on Drugs, the Queen Sofía Award for Drug Dependence Prevention, the Best Research Initiative Award from Diario Médico, recognition from the Assembly of European Regions for the best European alcohol policy, the Ignasi Fina Occupational Health Award from Barcelona City Council, recognition from the Spanish Ministry of Health for good practices in gender-based violence and drugs, the Paolo Pertica Award from Knowledge Action Change for the best harm reduction policy in the field of drug dependence in Europe, and the Professional Excellence Award from the Barcelona Medical Association.
He is an honorary member of Socidrogalcohol and the Spanish Society of Dual Disorders, and has been awarded the Josep Trueta Medal for healthcare merit by the Government of Catalonia.
He served for 18 years as president of ESADE’s Public Management Club, founded INEBRIA (International Network on Brief Interventions for Alcohol & Other Drugs), and is president and founder of APN (Alcohol Policy Network).
He has also served as director of the WHO Collaborating Centre in Catalonia and, for more than 40 years, as Deputy Director-General for Addictions, HIV, STIs and Viral Hepatitis at the Department of Health of the Government of Catalonia.
At the local level, he has been the official town crier for the Festa Major, Sant Magí and the Passion of Cervera, and a founder of the Youth Assembly, Isagoge, Aquelarre and the magazine Carreró de les Bruixes de Cervera.
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