This entire issue of the European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology (EJCP) is a tribute to Professor Folke Sjöqvist of the Karolinska Institute and Karolinska University Hospital at Huddinge. We can think of no other person who has accomplished so much professionally in the field clinical pharmacology and contributed so extensively to the development of this field worldwide as this extraordinary individual. Folke has a unique ability to identify clinical needs as targets for original research and then use the results for teaching, subsequently implementing these into clinical use. We, as have so many of his colleagues around the world, have been influenced by his spirit and have taken advantage of his knowledge and the working facilities that he has provided.

Folke is visionary, he is enthusiastic, and he has great capacity, competence and a fine “fingerspitzgefühl”. We are most grateful that Folke, at the age of 80 (birthday in May 2013), is still going strong and professionally active. Keep going Folke!

Folke Sjöqvist is well known for his excellent research, he is a popular teacher, and from the very first he has been an efficient proponent of clinical pharmacology as a medical service. He functions as a “backbone” in various national authorities and in both national and international organizations within the field of clinical pharmacology. The authors of the Special Articles appearing in this special issue of the EJCP, all of whom were invited, attempt to illustrate some of his major areas of activity. Needless to say, this issue could easily have contained several more Special Articles, and many more of Folke’s collegues and students could have been asked to contribute; the end result would then have been a very heavy book! As editor, it was gratifying to note how willing and honoured all authors were to be given the opportunity to contribute to this special issue of EJCP—and that all articles were written and turned in on time.

We thank every person who has contributed to this special issue! It has been a privilege to edit it. The Foundation for Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, an independent body in Sweden that supports activities and developments within the field of clinical pharmacology, has sponsored it’s production.

Thanks Folke, and congratulations !

Rune Dahlqvist

Coordinating Editor EJCP

Gunnar Alván

Vice chairman Foundation for Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy