28 Sep 2025: The ISH was very sad to learn of the death of Professor Graham MacGregor, an outstanding physician, hypertension researcher and tenacious public health
advocate based in the UK.

Graham had a particular interest in salt intake, the kidney and blood pressure control mechanisms and treatment, and was winner of the ISH’s most prestigious award - the ISH Franz Volhard Award and Lectureship for Outstanding Research - at the ISH 2010 Scientific Meeting in Vancouver.

ISH Past President Bryan Williams said: “Graham was a friend, an inspiring colleague and a true legend in the field of hypertension and will be fondly remembered by all who had the pleasure to know him and work with him. He was a one off, and truly exceptional. His advocacy in endeavouring to reduce dietary intake of sodium and sugar was both innovative and ahead of its time. He was passionate about improving public health through the better prevention and treatment of hypertension. He had an exceptional intellect and incisive wit and was great company. Needless to say he will be greatly missed by all who knew him and the many patients who may not have known him but benefited from his relentless and passionate advocacy on their behalf. He leaves an enduring and powerful legacy. My sincere condolences to his colleagues, friends and family.”

Graham’s work on population salt reduction had a reach well beyond the UK, including in Asia. Yook-Chin Chia, Past Chair of the ISH Asia Pacific Regional Advisory Group, knew Graham well, as he was the inspiration behind the founding of the Malaysian Society for World Action on Salt, Sugar and Health (MyWASSH), which Yook Chin set up.

Yook-Chin said: “I am truly honoured and deeply privileged to have met and worked with Prof MacGregor.

“He was the person who inspired me to take on reducing salt intake in Malaysia. At the end of a 3-year collaboration between his institution and the Malaysian Ministry of Health, he pulled me aside and told me privately to carry on the salt reduction effort in Malaysia. It was his prolonged dedication to reducing population salt intake that impressed and inspired me tremendously and was instrumental in the founding of the Malaysian Society for World Action on Salt and Sugar for Health (MyWASSH), with his blessing and encouragement. This was modelled to some extent on the UK World Action on Salt for Health (WASH).

“I found Prof McGregor very dedicated, passionate and persistent in doing what he did. What he has done has left an indelible mark on me, inspiring me to do more and go beyond what we do routinely. I am very saddened by his passing. He has left a great void in the battle to reduce population salt intake. I send my deepest condolences to his family, remembering him as a very dedicated, committed and courageous leader. May he rest in peace.”

ISH President George Stergiou said: “Graham’s passing is a great loss for the cardiovascular medicine community. His influence in hypertension and related fields was considerable, and extended all around the world. His legacy lives on, and will continue to influence science and policy for a long time. All of us at the ISH express our condolences to all who knew him.”

Read an obituary of Graham from the British and Irish Hypertension Society.

Read the obituary from Action on Salt and Sugar.

Image: Prof MacGregor delivering his award lecture at the ISH 2010 Meeting