The Bial Award was created in 1984 to encourage and promote highly influential works in the area of medical research. Since then the award has been granted every two years, enjoying the patronage and collaboration of the President of the Republic, the Council of Rectors of Portuguese Universities and the Portuguese Medical Association.

Recognising and distinguishing clinical research, the Bial Award established itself as one of the most prestigious awards in the area of health in Europe. Up to its edition of 2016, it has been establishing two prizes: the Bial Merit Award in Medical Sciences, designed to distinguish an intellectual written work, on any freely chosen medical topic, of high quality and scientific relevance; and the Prémio Bial de Medicina Clínica, designed to distinguish an intellectual written work, on any freely chosen medical topic, of high quality and relevance, on clinical practice. At least one of the authors must be a native physician of a Portuguese speaking country.

Throughout its various editions, this award, worth a global amount of 120 thousand Euro, has followed the evolution and trends within the field of medicine, having recognised several works in the fields of civilisation diseases, genetics, molecular medicine, imaging, substitutive and regenerative therapies, and many more.

Since its establishment, the Bial Award has considered 720 entries from 1853 researchers, doctors and scientists from 21 countries. In 21 editions, it has recognised 111 works by 316 authors, with more than 326,000 copies of 44 award-winning works having been published and distributed free of charge to health professionals.