Public Health Heroes Awards Ceremony

For his leadership and courage in challenging the U.S. tobacco industry

As commissioner of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), David Kessler took a strong public position against the tobacco industry, advocating for FDA regulation of tobacco products. Appointed by President George Bush and reappointed by President Bill Clinton, Kessler served as FDA commissioner from November 1990 until March 1997. His tenure at the FDA was marked by efforts to speed approval of drugs and devices, especially for serious and life-threatening conditions; by nutrition labeling for food; and by regulations to restrict the marketing of tobacco to children. Kessler recounts the fight against the tobacco industry in his 2001 book, A Question of Intent.

Kessler has a wide range of experience in research, clinical medicine, education, administration, and the law. He is a 1973 magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Amherst College. He received his J.D. degree from the University of Chicago Law School in 1978, and his medical degree from Harvard Medical School in 1979. He completed his internship and residency in pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. In 1986, he earned an Advanced Professional Certificate from the New York University Graduate School of Business Administration.

Kessler has published numerous articles in The New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, and other major medical journals. His many honors have included the American Cancer Society's Medal of Honor, the American Heart Association’s National Public Affairs Special Recognition Award, the American Federation for AIDS Research Sheldon W. Andelson Public Policy Achievement Award, the American Academy of Pediatrics Excellence in Public Service Award, the March of Dimes Franklin Delano Roosevelt Leadership Award, and the Jacobs Institute of Women’s Health Excellence in Women’s Health Award.

Award Presenter Al Gore (via video presentation)

Al Gore is the former Vice President of the United States, serving from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. Gore also served in the U.S. House of Representatives (1977–1985) and the U.S. Senate (1985–1993), representing Tennessee. A prominent environmental activist, Gore was awarded the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize (together with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) for the "efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change." He is featured in the Academy Award-winning documentary on the topic of global warming, An Inconvenient Truth.

The Challenge: Taking on Big Tobacco

According to the American Council for Drug Education, tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of premature death in the United States. It is estimated that directly or indirectly, tobacco causes more than 400,000 deaths in the United States annually, a figure that represents nearly 20 percent of all U.S. deaths. In addition to the addictive agent nicotine, tobacco smoke contains harmful gases including nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, cyanide, and tar, a conglomeration of many chemicals, which is especially harmful to the lungs. More than 40 carcinogens—chemicals capable of causing cancer—have been identified in tobacco smoke. In addition, passive or second-hand smoke results in increased episodes of asthma and respiratory illnesses among children, and respiratory illness, asthmatic and allergic responses, and cardiovascular damage among adults.

Yet there are approximately 23 million smokers in the United States and many millions more worldwide. Smoking cessation among current users, a reduction in new smokers, and decreased exposure to second-hand smoke all remain high priorities in improving the public health. Some policy, public health, and community interventions that may reduce the level of tobacco use nationally and world wide include raising prices, strengthening regulation, supporting state and local efforts, developing treatments to help current users quit, supporting research, and facilitating international tobacco controls.

The UC Berkeley School of Public Health Responds

Professor Katherine Hammond researches exposure to airborne materials and their health effects including environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposures. She developed one of the first methods for measuring such exposure quantitatively as well as the first passive monitor for ETS exposure. Her work on two major studies of ETS exposure on commercial airlines led to the banning of cigarette smoking on domestic flights. She also led a study of secondhand smoke in pubs in Ireland before and after the country’s ban on smoking in workplaces.
Professor Emeritus Teh-wei Hu is an instrumental force in tobacco control, especially in China, a country with more than 350 million smokers. Hu has worked on tobacco control and health care reform in China for more than 15 years. He and colleagues have worked closely with China CDC, major Chinese universities, the World Bank, and WHO to study the impact of tobacco control on public health and the Chinese economy. Their findings have helped China’s government and the People's Congress in their tobacco control policy making.
Researcher Joel Moskowitz leads research efforts on tobacco control and smoking prevention and cessation. For example, he has conducted a Korean-language internet-based smoking cessation study that contrasts two self-help strategies for quitting smoking.


2008 National Hero - David A. Kessler, M.D.		Related Links CNN article: "Former FDA chief David Kessler discusses tobacco battle in book" Frontline interview: "Inside the Tobacco Deal"
For his leadership and courage in challenging the U.S. tobacco industry As commissioner of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), David Kessler took a strong public position against the tobacco industry, advocating for FDA regulation of tobacco products. Appointed by President George Bush and reappointed by President Bill Clinton, Kessler served as FDA commissioner from November 1990 until March 1997. His tenure at the FDA was marked by efforts to speed approval of drugs and devices, especially for serious and life-threatening conditions; by nutrition labeling for food; and by regulations to restrict the marketing of tobacco to children. Kessler recounts the fight against the tobacco industry in his 2001 book, A Question of Intent. Kessler has a wide range of experience in research, clinical medicine, education, administration, and the law. He is a 1973 magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Amherst College. He received his J.D. degree from the University of Chicago Law School in 1978, and his medical degree from Harvard Medical School in 1979. He completed his internship and residency in pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. In 1986, he earned an Advanced Professional Certificate from the New York University Graduate School of Business Administration. Kessler has published numerous articles in The New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, and other major medical journals. His many honors have included the American Cancer Society's Medal of Honor, the American Heart Association’s National Public Affairs Special Recognition Award, the American Federation for AIDS Research Sheldon W. Andelson Public Policy Achievement Award, the American Academy of Pediatrics Excellence in Public Service Award, the March of Dimes Franklin Delano Roosevelt Leadership Award, and the Jacobs Institute of Women’s Health Excellence in Women’s Health Award. Award Presenter Al Gore (via video presentation) Al Gore is the former Vice President of the United States, serving from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. Gore also served in the U.S. House of Representatives (1977–1985) and the U.S. Senate (1985–1993), representing Tennessee. A prominent environmental activist, Gore was awarded the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize (together with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) for the "efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change." He is featured in the Academy Award-winning documentary on the topic of global warming, An Inconvenient Truth. The Challenge: Taking on Big Tobacco According to the American Council for Drug Education, tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of premature death in the United States. It is estimated that directly or indirectly, tobacco causes more than 400,000 deaths in the United States annually, a figure that represents nearly 20 percent of all U.S. deaths. In addition to the addictive agent nicotine, tobacco smoke contains harmful gases including nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, cyanide, and tar, a conglomeration of many chemicals, which is especially harmful to the lungs. More than 40 carcinogens—chemicals capable of causing cancer—have been identified in tobacco smoke. In addition, passive or second-hand smoke results in increased episodes of asthma and respiratory illnesses among children, and respiratory illness, asthmatic and allergic responses, and cardiovascular damage among adults. Yet there are approximately 23 million smokers in the United States and many millions more worldwide. Smoking cessation among current users, a reduction in new smokers, and decreased exposure to second-hand smoke all remain high priorities in improving the public health. Some policy, public health, and community interventions that may reduce the level of tobacco use nationally and world wide include raising prices, strengthening regulation, supporting state and local efforts, developing treatments to help current users quit, supporting research, and facilitating international tobacco controls. The UC Berkeley School of Public Health Responds Professor Katherine Hammond researches exposure to airborne materials and their health effects including environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposures. She developed one of the first methods for measuring such exposure quantitatively as well as the first passive monitor for ETS exposure. Her work on two major studies of ETS exposure on commercial airlines led to the banning of cigarette smoking on domestic flights. She also led a study of secondhand smoke in pubs in Ireland before and after the country’s ban on smoking in workplaces. Professor Emeritus Teh-wei Hu is an instrumental force in tobacco control, especially in China, a country with more than 350 million smokers. Hu has worked on tobacco control and health care reform in China for more than 15 years. He and colleagues have worked closely with China CDC, major Chinese universities, the World Bank, and WHO to study the impact of tobacco control on public health and the Chinese economy. Their findings have helped China’s government and the People's Congress in their tobacco control policy making. Researcher Joel Moskowitz leads research efforts on tobacco control and smoking prevention and cessation. For example, he has conducted a Korean-language internet-based smoking cessation study that contrasts two self-help strategies for quitting smoking.