Prim. Prof. Dr. Bernd Lamprecht was elected to a two-year term of office as President of the Scientific Society of Austrian Pulmonary Specialists. After earning his doctorate at the Leopold-Franzens University in Innsbruck, he trained as a specialist in internal medicine and pneumology at the Department of Pneumology in Salzburg, earning his post-doctorate at Paracelsus Medical University. He has spent time in the USA, Spain, and other places, as part of Fellowships and research stays.

The renowned pulmonologist and COVID-19 expert has been head of the Department of Internal Medicine with a focus on Pneumology at the Kepler University Hospital (JKU) in Linz since 2013. Lamprecht has also served as Scientific Director of Pneumological Rehabilitation at the Enns Rehabilitation Clinic since 2015. Since 2019, he has served as Assistant Chair of Studies and has been instrumental in advancing the JKU's Faculty of Medicine. On February 1, 2022, Lamprecht was appointed Chair of Internal Medicine with a focus on Pneumology, and since October 2023, Lamprecht is the Dean of Academic Affairs at the JKU’s Faculty of Medicine.

Lamprecht also lends his expertise and experience to various institutions. He is currently a board member for Krebshilfe OÖ, a member of the Upper Austrian Cancer Aid, a member of the Supreme Medical Council (Austrian Federal Ministry of Health), a board member and assistant curia chairman, primary physicians' representative in the Upper Austrian Medical Association, and a board member of the Austrian Lung Cancer Study Group, just to name a few of his roles.

Originally from Innsbruck, he also actively conducts research (including over 123 original, peer-reviewed papers), reviews various scientific journals, and is the recipient of numerous awards and accolades in Austria and abroad (including the 2021 Erwin Wenzl Award, awarded by the state of Upper Austria for his "lifetime achievements"). During the pandemic, the pulmonary specialist became a recognized face in the media on account of his extensive expertise on Covid-19 and Lamprecht was often a sought-after Covid expert by the media in Austria and abroad. Lamprecht has stated that an important priority during his presidency would be to draft and implement a comprehensive, well thought-out pulmonary cancer screening program.

The new ÖGP President remarked: "There is more and more data showing that targeted screenings can result in significantly lower rates of lung cancer deaths. Regularly scheduled low-dose CT scans can often detect early stages of lung cancer, a stage where we can more successfully treat the cancer. During the course of lung cancer screenings, we could also potentially identify any other serious, symptom-free pulmonary conditions, so-called 'secondary findings'. Regularly scheduled lung cancer screenings would be a welcome opportunity to improve pulmonary health in Austria, especially with regard to detecting any other illnesses as well."

Implementing a nationwide program of this kind, however, involves complex challenges that include partnering with various medical disciplines and combining the procedures, structures, and processes accordingly across disciplines. Lamprecht's mission is to create a corresponding strategic plan to establish a comprehensive screening and early detection program designed to improve pulmonary healthcare in Austria.

"As a physician, I strongly believe in improving the population's health literacy. In other words, providing information about important pulmonary health issues based on recent scientific findings so that people can become more aware of what they can do themselves to improve their own pulmonary health; this includes, for example, preventative healthcare and taking personal responsibility." The ÖGP aims to work closely with the Medical Association's specialists in pulmonary illnesses, internal medicine, and pneumology to help ensure that Austria can continue to provide outstanding pneumological care despite limited human and financial resources in the healthcare system.

ÖGP President Lamprecht added: "I would like to take this opportunity to thank my predecessor, Associate Professor Dr. Gabor Kovacs, and the entire ÖGP team, for their outstanding support over the past few years. I look forward to the coming two years and working with Vice-President Eveline Kink and Secretary General Judith Löffler-Ragg, to further strengthen the Austrian Society of Pulmonary Specialists’ activities!"