AMA honors inventors of HPV vaccine with top government service award

WASHINGTON — Doug Lowy, MD and John Schiller, PhD both of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), will be honored tonight with the American Medical Association's (AMA) highest award for a public official. George Stephanopoulos, Chief Washington Correspondent for ABC News and host of "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" will present the awards at an AMA awards dinner tonight in Washington, D.C.

"Drs. Lowy and Schiller were recognized for profoundly affecting women's health through their discovery of the HPV vaccine," Dr. Plested said. "As a result of their years of research, physicians expect the HPV vaccine to nearly eradicate cervical pre-cancer or cancer which is the second deadliest cancer in women worldwide."

Drs. Lowy and Schiller join six other honorees chosen this year to receive the Dr. Nathan Davis Award for Outstanding Government Service. The award, named for the founding father of the AMA, recognizes elected and career officials in federal, state or municipal service whose outstanding contributions have promoted the art and science of medicine and the betterment of public health.

"Through the Nathan Davis Awards, the American Medical Association salutes government officials that go above and beyond the call of duty to improve public health. Award winners come from every branch of government service, and are a testament to the important role public officials play in creating and implementing health policy that benefits Americans," said AMA President William G. Plested, III, MD.

Drs. Lowy and Schiller were nominated for the award by Robert H. Wiltrout, Ph.D., director of the Center for Cancer Research, NCI, NIH.

This year marks the 19th anniversary for the Dr. Nathan Davis Awards. The awards were presented in conjunction with the AMA National Advocacy Conference at the JW Marriott in Washington, D.C.

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For additional information, please contact:

Katherine Hatwell
AMA Media Relations
(202) 789-7419