Jacob Brand - a famous domestic cardiac surgeon. Known as a TV presenter, in 2001 he became a laureate of the State Prize, Honored Doctor of Russia. The greatest popularity came to him after television projects called "Coma" and "Over-the-counter", which were broadcast on the NTV channel.
Doctor's biography
Jacob Brand was born in 1955. He was born into a Jewish family. His father, Beniamin Volfovich, was a dermatologist, and his mother was a surgeon. The hero of this article decided to follow in the footsteps of his parents, becoming a doctor.
He successfully graduated from school, having received in the certificate only one triple by drawing. In 1979, Jacob Brand became a graduate of the State Medical Institute in Odessa. He began his career in hospitals in the city of Nikolaev.
Moving to Moscow
In 1981, Yakov Beniaminovich Brand moved to Moscow. Initially, he works as a resident in the department of emergency microsurgery of the State Clinical Hospital No. 51. In parallel, he is engaged in scientific research, in 1986 he became a researcher at the cardiological research and production complex, and in 1994 - a leading researcher at the center.
By 1996, Jacob Brand - one of the leading cardiologists in the country. Therefore, it is not surprising that in November 1996, as part of a team of cardiac surgeons, he was involved in an operation on the heart of Russian President Boris Yeltsin, who had won the presidential election shortly before. The head of state underwent coronary bypass surgery. The operation was successful.
Television debut
Dr. Jacob Brand first appeared on television in 1998. DIXI made a film called "The Heart of Yeltsin," which was part of the series "Recent History".
The film crew came to the Sklifosovsky Institute to record an interview with Brand, who was one of the key participants in the operation. According to acquaintances, he liked acting. He was remembered by television producers.
Soon after, a new project on medicine was being prepared for launch on the NTV channel. Samples in which female doctors and actresses took part ended in failure. Then the producers of the channel remembered about Brand. Unexpectedly for himself and most of those around him, he became a TV presenter, not suspecting that this work would drag him on for many years.
"Without recipe"
From 1999 to 2010, Dr. Jacob Brand worked on the OTC project. This is an entertaining and educational program, which was first aired on Saturday or Sunday afternoon, and then was transferred to earlier Saturday morning.
Doctor Jacob Brand considered it his goal to tell viewers about the body’s natural resources, about how to use them at full capacity, in order to improve and maintain their health. At the same time, he himself never in his program gave specific advice on treatment and prescriptions, noting that television should not treat the viewer. After all, without knowing the anamnesis and not seeing a person in front of you, it is impossible to give him an accurate diagnosis.
The program often talked about common and rare diseases, methods of treatment, prevention, historical facts, medical sensations and funny things. During the transfer, the host met with guests who were directly related to the topic of the program, for example, it could be doctors, scientists, doctors and candidates of medical sciences. The studio was usually stylized as a doctor’s study. In 2000 and 2004, the scenery of the project changed.
At the very beginning, the program opened with an introductory intro, in which Brand, in the most informal setting, briefly talked about the upcoming topic, bringing interesting facts from history and life. The same inserts were added after the end credits.
Since the mid-2000s, at the beginning of the program, humorous scenes appeared on the theme of the program, which were played by invited actors. Also, throughout the existence of the program, an animated co-host was present in the frame, which outwardly resembled Brand and was dressed as a doctor. He chuckled or objected to the main facilitator, depending on the main theme of the program.
In the biography of Jacob Brand, television began to play a big role. He himself admitted that the project "Without a prescription" was a continuation of his main work.
In 2001, the option of switching the program to the TV-6 channel was considered, but it did not take place. As a result, the OTC program was one of the few programs of the “old” NTV that did not go off the air after a scandalous change of ownership in the early 2000s. Then Gusinsky's place at the head of the channel was taken by state-owned companies.
The timing of the transmission ranged from 15 to 25 minutes. It was divided into sections:
- "Case history" is the story of the patient who defeated the disease to which the issue is dedicated.
- “Background” is a short historical background on the topic of the program.
- "Consultium" - doctors in the studio discuss the topic and share their own experiences.
- "Archive" - entertaining historical facts.
- "Advice from the stars."
- "Expertise" - verification of dubious facts and rumors about the treatment or prevention of a particular disease.
- "On a note".
The project was closed in 2010 at the initiative of chief editor Svetlana Gabuniya after downgrading. He was soon replaced by a similar program called "Medical Secrets."
"Coma"
In the biography of Jacob Beniaminovich Brand for several years there was another project related to television. This is the Coma program, which aired on NTV from 2001 to 2003. She was dedicated to addiction. The hero of this article led it together with rock musician Sergei Galanin.
Often he took part in various television projects as a visiting expert. An unusual experience was in 2001, when he, as an interviewer, talked with Mikhail Kasyanov, who at that time was chairman of the Russian government.
Brand was a frequent guest on the air of the Echo of Moscow radio station.
Scientific work
After receiving a doctorate in medical sciences, Yakov Beniaminovich headed the department of emergency cardiac surgery at the Sklifosovsky Research Institute of Emergency Medicine.
Yakov Beniaminovich was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Life Line foundation, he himself became the founder of the foundation called Golden Hearts, and was the chairman of the organizing committee that approved the award of the same name. For many years, he was a member of the public council at the Federal Drug Control Service.
Brand devoted a lot of time to charity. In support of seriously ill children, he constantly organized his own photo exhibitions, took part in various charity events. At the very end of his life, he became editor-in-chief of the network channel Med2Med, which he founded in partnership with the private medical company Invitro.
Personal life
Brand was married. His wife worked as a senior operating nurse. In 2010, their third child was born.
By that time, the couple had already two adult children. Son Paul received a medical education in the field of neurology. In 2015, he headed a network of clinics called Family. And also daughter Olga, who became a lawyer and went to live abroad.
Sister Branda is a well-known doctor, a major specialist in female infertility. It is known that the hero of this article for many years maintained friendly relations with popular actors: Leonid Yarmolnik and Alexander Adabashyan.
Death
Jacob Brand died on June 12, 2018. Two weeks earlier, he was hospitalized at his native Sklifosovsky Research Institute of Emergency Medicine with suspected heart failure. According to doctors, this was the cause of death.
Farewell to him took place in the hospital, in which Brand worked for many years. June 15, he was buried. As it became known to reporters, shortly before his death, Yakov Beniaminovich began to complain about the deterioration of his health. He even passed an examination at the Research Institute of Emergency Medicine, in which he headed the department of emergency coronary surgery.
The famous domestic doctor and TV presenter was 63 years old.