2006 Recipient - Samuel L. Katz, MD

Recognized for: Lifetime of Pediatric Vaccine Research & Service to Children

Samuel L. Katz, MD, Wilburt Cornell Davison Professor and Chairman Emeritus, Department of Pediatrics at Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, was honored with the 2006 Alfred I. duPont Award for Excellence in Children’s Health Care at the duPont Country Club in Wilmington, Delaware on Tuesday September 26, 2006. An original member of the team that developed the measles virus vaccine now used throughout the world, Dr. Katz is being honored for his lifetime of research.

"I was thrilled, flattered and overwhelmed when I learned of this award. With so many of these awards, one must always remember you build on the shoulders of those that precede you. As a surviving member of the original team that discovered the measles vaccine, I’m humbled by this recognition," said Dr. Katz. "From an estimated eight million children dying from the measles annually prior to vaccine availability to an estimated 454,000 reported in 2005, if theres anything Ive done to have any bearing on the thrust of this award, I would hope this is it. Measles is my hallmark."

Thanks to the development of preventing measles, rubella, mumps and other childhood diseases, many young parents and health care workers are not familiar with what they are. "The US has a very controlled health environment for most childhood vaccine preventable diseases, but we must remember that they are not diseases which are eliminated, as they exist just a plane ride away. Recent examples have resulted in localized outbreaks of measles and larger ones of mumps from imported viruses," said Dr. Katz. "For those reasons, I have a continuing interest with children’s diseases throughout the world and in our own nation."

From 1959 to 1965, Dr. Katz published 23 papers on his research with the measles virus and vaccine. The vaccine has been exceptionally effective and can be credited with saving the lives of millions of children. In addition to his research work, Dr. Katz has worked extensively and tirelessly around the world advocating for and assisting in the development and implementation of vaccine programs for measles, polio, rubella, influenza, pertussis, and HIV. He has worked with all the major national health care groups in the United States as well as with the World Health Organization (WHO) with specific programs in India, China, Korea, and in sub-Saharan Africa.

Katz also served as Chairman of the Department of Pediatrics at Duke University School of Medicine for 22 years where he had a significant role in educating and training a generation of young pediatricians. He continues as an endowed Professor Emeritus and an active member of the faculty.

He serves on many national scientific boards and committees including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, the National Network for Immunization Information, and the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences. Katz continues his global travels and advocacy for vaccine programs.