President & Fellow of the BGTHA
MD (Hons), FRCGP, FISTM, FFTM RCPS(Glasg), FESC, FBHS, FHEA, FAcadMEd, DRCOG, LRCP (Edin.), LRCS (Edin.), LRCP&S (Glas.), DMedAcup., DMedHypn.

Dr George Kassianos is Greek Cypriot and studied medicine in Poland with a scholarship from the International Union of Students (IUS) where he graduated with honours at the Medical Academy of Lodz. He trained as a General Practitioner at the London Hammersmith and St. Mary’s Hospitals before joining his practice in Bracknell, Berkshire in 1979. He retired from the Practice in 2017 after 38 years of service.

He writes extensively in the medical press and is a member of the British Medical Journalists’ Association. He was Editor-in-Chief of the international journal Drugs in Context for 10 years until October 2013 (he now remains as the Associate Editor), and past Medical Editor of the Audit in General Practice journal, Care of the Elderly, and Managing Heart Failure in General Practice. He is also serving as a member on Editorial Boards of journals such as The British Journal of Cardiology, Geriatric Medicine, Primary Care Cardiovascular Journal, The British Journal of Family Medicine, the Bulgarian journal Preventive Medicine, and is the GP editorial consultant for the journal Guidelines in Practice.

He is currently preparing the 5th edition of his book ‘Immunisation Childhood and Travel Health’. Among other published work, he is author of a research paper on the willingness of European healthcare workers to undergo vaccination against seasonal influenza (Drugs In Context), co-author of the paper on Pneumococcal Infection in Europe (Advances in Therapy) and on Herpes Zoster, Guest Editor for the British Journal of Family Medicine, contributory author to the Public Health England Advisory Committee Malaria Prophylaxis (PHE ACMP) in Travellers from the UK up to 2019, first author of a research paper on Atrial Fibrillation in Primary Care (BMJ Open), and chaired the Guidelines Panel on Myalgia in Patients Who Are Taking Statins (Guidelines In Practice).

Recent papers include:

  • Key policy and programmatic factors to improve influenza vaccination rates based on the experience from four high-performing countries, A comparison of coronavirus disease 2019 and seasonal influenza surveillance in five European countries: France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom
  • Implementation of the United Kingdom’s childhood influenza national vaccination programme: A review of clinical impact and lessons learned over six influenza seasons
  • The impact of candidate influenza virus and egg-based manufacture on vaccine effectiveness: Literature review and expert consensus
  • Vaccinating pregnant women against influenza needs to be a priority for all countries: An expert commentary
  • Vaccination of healthcare personnel in Europe: Update to current policies
  • The public health value of vaccination for seniors in Europe
  • Motors of influenza vaccination uptake and vaccination advocacy in healthcare workers: A comparative study in six European countries.

He is on the Faculty of Medscape and has participated in a number of educational projects and continues to do so. He has also lectured on cardiology and immunisation subjects abroad, in over 30 countries.

George Kassianos has been the National Immunisation Lead for the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) since 1996 and is a fellow of the RCGP. He is also a member of the UK Public Health Advisory Panel on Healthcare Workers Infected with Blood-borne Viruses. He is a founder member, Fellow & President of ‘The British Global & Travel Health Association’.

Between 1989 and 2001, George Kassianos served as a GP Tutor in Berkshire and between 2000 and 2005 as the Chairman of the Bracknell Forest Primary Care Trust (PCT) Professional Executive Committee (PEC). In 2006 he was awarded the Fellowship of the Faculty of Travel Medicine of the Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Glasgow, Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy and Fellowship of the Academy of Medical Educators. In 2007, he was awarded the Fellowship of ‘The European Society of Cardiology’ and in 2018 the Fellowship of the International Society of Travel Medicine. In 2013, he was appointed Chairman of the Pan-European Group RAISE (Raise Awareness in Influenza Strategies in Europe). In 2014, he was awarded the Fellowship of the British & Irish Hypertension Society. In 2018, he joined the European Scientific Working Group on Influenza (ESWI) Board.

He is the 36th recipient of the Royal College of General Practitioners’ Foundation Council Award (2018), the most prestigious award for services to the College and General Practice.

In October 2020, Her Majesty the Queen appointed Dr Kassianos Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) in Her Birthday 2020 Honours List for his services to General Practice and Travel Medicine. The investiture took place at Windsor Castle on 17 November 2021.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]