Alvan Feinstein
Encyclopedia
Alvan R. Feinstein was a clinician, a researcher
and an epidemiologist who made significant impact on clinical investigation, especially on the field of clinical epidemiology that he helped define. He died at the age of 75 in Toronto on 25 October 2001 and is survived by his wife and two children.
Born in Philadelphia, Feinstein received his bachelor's (BSc 1947), master's (MSc, 1948) and medical degrees (MD, 1952) at the University of Chicago
and undertook his residency at Rockefeller Institute. He was Board Certified in Internal Medicine
in 1955 and became the medical director of Irvington House. While there, he studied patients with rheumatic fever
and challenged the belief that proper treatment after an early diagnosis kept those patients from developing severe heart disease later in life. He demonstrated that the disease had different forms including one which causes joint pain and seldom progresses to heart disease. The other, which does result in heart disease, has no symptoms to evoke early detection. Thus, diagnosis of the disease at an early stage leads to a favorable outcome not because of early treatment but because those patients tend to have a less-virulent form.
In 1962, Feinstein joined the Yale
faculty and became the founding director of its Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program in 1974 . Under his direction, the program became recognized as one of the leading centers for training in clinical research methods.
He published his first paper as a medical student in 1951 and more than 400 throughout his career. He wrote six major textbooks, two of which, Clinical Judgment (1967) and Clinical Epidemiology (1985) are among the most widely referenced books in clinical epidemiology. He completed the last one, Principles of medical statistics (2002), just before his death. At the time of his death he was the Sterling Professor
of Medicine and Epidemiology, the highest academic distinction at Yale University.
His editorial work included that of the Journal of Chronic Diseases (1982–1988) and he founded and was editor of the Journal of Clinical Epidemiology
(1988–2001).
(1982), Robert J. Glaser Annual Award from the Society for General Internal Medicine (1987), J. Allyn Taylor International Prize in Medicine (1987), Gairdner Foundation (Canada) International Award (1993), and an honorary Doctor of Science degree from McGill University
(1997). In 1991, Feinstein was named the Sterling Professor
of Medicine and Epidemiology, Yale University's most prestigious academic honor.
published articles minimizing the deleterious effects of smoking. A review of his publications published in the Journal of Clinical Epidemiology
in 2002 concluded that "perhaps in hindsight Feinstein could be criticized for not having clearly indicated the sponsorship of the tobacco industry behind these publications, of which he was fully aware. However, this does not suffice to infer that he was the tobacco industry's man. Feinstein's attitude in matters of publication appears balanced".
Researcher
A researcher is somebody who performs research, the search for knowledge or in general any systematic investigation to establish facts. Researchers can work in academic, industrial, government, or private institutions.-Examples of research institutions:...
and an epidemiologist who made significant impact on clinical investigation, especially on the field of clinical epidemiology that he helped define. He died at the age of 75 in Toronto on 25 October 2001 and is survived by his wife and two children.
Born in Philadelphia, Feinstein received his bachelor's (BSc 1947), master's (MSc, 1948) and medical degrees (MD, 1952) at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
and undertook his residency at Rockefeller Institute. He was Board Certified in Internal Medicine
Internal medicine
Internal medicine is the medical specialty dealing with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of adult diseases. Physicians specializing in internal medicine are called internists. They are especially skilled in the management of patients who have undifferentiated or multi-system disease processes...
in 1955 and became the medical director of Irvington House. While there, he studied patients with rheumatic fever
Rheumatic fever
Rheumatic fever is an inflammatory disease that occurs following a Streptococcus pyogenes infection, such as strep throat or scarlet fever. Believed to be caused by antibody cross-reactivity that can involve the heart, joints, skin, and brain, the illness typically develops two to three weeks after...
and challenged the belief that proper treatment after an early diagnosis kept those patients from developing severe heart disease later in life. He demonstrated that the disease had different forms including one which causes joint pain and seldom progresses to heart disease. The other, which does result in heart disease, has no symptoms to evoke early detection. Thus, diagnosis of the disease at an early stage leads to a favorable outcome not because of early treatment but because those patients tend to have a less-virulent form.
In 1962, Feinstein joined the Yale
YALE
RapidMiner, formerly YALE , is an environment for machine learning, data mining, text mining, predictive analytics, and business analytics. It is used for research, education, training, rapid prototyping, application development, and industrial applications...
faculty and became the founding director of its Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program in 1974 . Under his direction, the program became recognized as one of the leading centers for training in clinical research methods.
He published his first paper as a medical student in 1951 and more than 400 throughout his career. He wrote six major textbooks, two of which, Clinical Judgment (1967) and Clinical Epidemiology (1985) are among the most widely referenced books in clinical epidemiology. He completed the last one, Principles of medical statistics (2002), just before his death. At the time of his death he was the Sterling Professor
Sterling Professor
A Sterling Professorship is the highest academic rank at Yale University, awarded to a tenured faculty member considered one of the best in his or her field...
of Medicine and Epidemiology, the highest academic distinction at Yale University.
His editorial work included that of the Journal of Chronic Diseases (1982–1988) and he founded and was editor of the Journal of Clinical Epidemiology
Journal of Clinical Epidemiology
The Journal of Clinical Epidemiology is a peer reviewed journal of Epidemiology that promotes the quality of clinical and patient-oriented health services research through the advancement and application of innovative methods of :...
(1988–2001).
Awards
During his career, Feinstein garnered numerous recognitions and awards; including the Francis Gilman Blake Award as outstanding teacher to Yale medical students (1969), Richard and Hinda Rosenthal Foundation Award from the American College of PhysiciansAmerican College of Physicians
The American College of Physicians is a national organization of doctors of internal medicine —physicians who specialize in the prevention, detection, and treatment of illnesses in adults. With 130,000 members, ACP is the largest medical-specialty organization and second-largest physician group in...
(1982), Robert J. Glaser Annual Award from the Society for General Internal Medicine (1987), J. Allyn Taylor International Prize in Medicine (1987), Gairdner Foundation (Canada) International Award (1993), and an honorary Doctor of Science degree from McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
(1997). In 1991, Feinstein was named the Sterling Professor
Sterling Professor
A Sterling Professorship is the highest academic rank at Yale University, awarded to a tenured faculty member considered one of the best in his or her field...
of Medicine and Epidemiology, Yale University's most prestigious academic honor.
Controversy
In his later years, controversy marred his career with claims that he may have helped the tobacco industryTobacco industry
The tobacco industry comprises those persons and companies engaged in the growth, preparation for sale, shipment, advertisement, and distribution of tobacco and tobacco-related products. It is a global industry; tobacco can grow in any warm, moist environment, which means it can be farmed on all...
published articles minimizing the deleterious effects of smoking. A review of his publications published in the Journal of Clinical Epidemiology
Journal of Clinical Epidemiology
The Journal of Clinical Epidemiology is a peer reviewed journal of Epidemiology that promotes the quality of clinical and patient-oriented health services research through the advancement and application of innovative methods of :...
in 2002 concluded that "perhaps in hindsight Feinstein could be criticized for not having clearly indicated the sponsorship of the tobacco industry behind these publications, of which he was fully aware. However, this does not suffice to infer that he was the tobacco industry's man. Feinstein's attitude in matters of publication appears balanced".