He completed his studies in medicine, magna cum laude, specialising in pharmacology, and in 1953 established a drug research company. It was a modest beginning with very limited financial resources and considerable scepticism from outsiders, but his belief in his own capabilities and those of his colleagues was unshakeable. 'People thought my plan was impossible', he said. 'I was very young, and part of my motivation was to show them that I was right and they were wrong.'

And prove them wrong he did. Success came quickly, for the fifth molecule synthesised by Dr Paul Janssen and his associates was found to have therapeutic properties. Many more innovations were to follow, in fields as diverse as gastroenterology, psychiatry, neurology, mycology and parasitology, anaesthesia and allergy.

Dr. Paul Janssen received 22 honorary doctorates worldwide, more than 80 medical awards, and was honorary member of over 30 scientific institutes and organizations.  H e was author or co-author of more than 850 scientific publications and held more than 500 scientific presentations all over the world. Up until his death, Dr. Paul remained very involved in the search for new medicines for diseases afflicting humankind.