Press Releases
ATLANTA – October 19, 2015–American Cancer Society Chief Medical Officer, Otis Webb Brawley, MD, MACP, FASCO, FACE has been elected to the 2015 Class of the National Academy of Medicine, one of the highest honors in American medicine. In electing him, the Academy cited Otis’s prowess and expertise in the field of cancer prevention and control.
The National Academy of Medicine, formerly known as the Institute of Medicine, is an independent organization of about 2,000 eminent professionals from diverse fields including health and medicine. The Academy serves as adviser to the nation and the international community on issues relating to biomedical science, medicine, and health. The New York Times has called the Academy the "most esteemed and authoritative adviser on issues of health and medicine, and its reports can transform medical thinking around the world.”
“This election is a true honor for Otis, but such recognition comes as no surprise to those of us at the American Cancer Society who know him well,” said Gary Reedy, the Society’s chief executive officer. “We are extremely proud of him and I congratulate Otis and know he will be a champion for cancer prevention and control in the Academy.”
“I've known Otis Brawley since his days at the NCI. It's been thrilling to watch him grow as a doctor and as a person of wisdom and vision,” said Vincent DeVita, M.D., Amy and Joseph Perella Professor of Medicine at Yale School of Medicine and former board president of the American Cancer Society. “With the perspective he has of the field of medicine and of public policy he will be a valuable asset to the National Academy of Medicine. Congratulations to you Otis! A well-deserved honor.”
The Academy is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, Medicine which includes the National Academy of Science and the National Academy of Engineering. Abraham Lincoln and Congress chartered the National Academy of Sciences in 1863. Together, they are considered the “hall of fame” of science, medicine, and engineering. New members are elected on the basis of their professional achievement and commitment to service.
This honor caps off what has been an extraordinary year for Otis, as he was also named a Master of the American College of Physicians, one of fewer than 1300 physicians to be so honored in the college’s 100 plus-year history.
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