Paul Adriaan Jan Janssen (born on 12 September 1926 in Turnhout, Belgium - 11 November, 2003 in Rome, Italy) was the founder of Janssen Pharmaceutica, a pharmaceutical company with over 20,000 employees. He achieved a postdoctorate in Pharmacology and is one of Belgium's most loved figures, even posthumously.
Dr. Paul Janssen was the son of Constant Janssen and Margriet Fleerackers. On 16 April 1957, he married Dora Arts. Paul Janssen died in Rome, Italy in 2003, while attending the celebration of the 400 th anniversary of the founding of the Pontificial Academy of Sciences. He was survived by his widow, Dora Arts Janssen, two sons, three daughters and 13 grandchildren.
In 2005 he finished as runner up in the poll for "The Greatest Belgian" organised by the regional Flemish television.
