David C. Lewis (physician)
Encyclopedia
Dr. David C. Lewis is Professor Emeritus of Medicine and Community Health and the Donald G. Millar Distinguished Professor of Alcohol and Addiction Studies at Brown University
.
He is Chairman of the Board of Directors of the United States
' National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence
. He serves on the Executive Committee and is former Executive Director of the Association for Medical Education and Research in Substance Abuse, and is the founder and a member of the Board of Directors of Physicians and Lawyers for National Drug Policy.
Dr. Lewis earned his bachelors degree magna cum laude
from Brown University in 1957 and his medical degree at Harvard University
in 1961. He specialized in internal medicine and later in treatment of alcoholism and addiction to other drugs.
He entered the field of addictions while an internal medicine resident at Boston's Beth Israel Hospital
, where he collaborated with famed Harvard psychiatrist Norman Zinberg
on seminal work on heroin addiction (Zinberg & Lewis, 1964; Lewis & Zinberg, 1964). He later served from 1963-1964 as a health policy advisor to Cleveland mayor Dennis Kucinich
and became a leading advocate for legalization of heroin maintenance programs (Lewis, 1964). From 1972 through 1979 he directed the Washingtonian Center for Addictions. He became Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School in 1975. In 1976 he joined the Brown University faculty as an Associate Professor of Medicine and director of the Program in Alcoholism and Drug Abuse. He was named the Donald G. Millar Distinguished Scholar in Alcoholism Studies at Brown University in 1979 and chaired the Department of Community Health from 1981 through 1986. In 1982, he founded the Brown University Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies and was designated the Donald G. Millar Distinguished Professor of Alcohol and Addiction Studies as well as Professor of Medicine and Community Health. He directed the alcohol studies center for 18 years prior to his retirement. From 1990 through 1991 he was Scholar-in-Residence in the National Academy of Sciences
-Institute of Medicine
in Washington, DC.
In 1976, Dr. Lewis was one of the founders of the Association for Medical Education and Research in Substance Abuse (AMERSA). He served as President of AMERSA from 1983 through 1985 and became Executive Editor of AMERSA's peer-reviewed, quarterly journal Substance Abuse in 1984. From 1986 through 1995 he was director of AMERSA's National Office, which was located at Brown University.
Dr. Lewis and David Duncan
, in a presentation at the 1996 annual meeting of the American Public Health Association
, proposed that an alliance of health professionals could best bring about major reform of America's national drug policies. In 1997, he convened a meeting of 37 of the nation's leading physicians which adopted a policy statement declaring the "war on drugs" to be a failed approach and calling for adoption of an approach to drug abuse based on prevention and treatment rather than law enforcement. The group of physician leaders incorporated as Physician Leadership on National Drug Policy (PLNDP), with Dr. Lewis as its Project Director from 1997 through 2003. In 2004, the organization expanded its membership to include a number of leaders of the legal profession and became Physicians and Lawyers for National Drug Policy. Dr, Lewis continues to serve on PLNDP's Board of Directors. Dr. Lewis has been a leading spokesperson for harm reduction (Lewis, Duncan & Clifford, 1997) and for the perspective that sees addiction as being a chronic disease like any other (Lewis, 1994; McLellan, Lewis, O'Brien, & Kleber, 2000).
In 1996 Dr. Lewis delivered the Norman E. Zinberg Memorial Lecture at Cambridge Hospital/Harvard Medical School. He received the American Medical Association
's Education and Research Foundation Award in 1997 for outstanding contributions and leadership in championing the inclusion of alcohol and other drug problems into the mainstream of medical practice and medical education. He received the Distinguished Contributions in the Addictions award from Harvard Medical School in 2002, and in 2004 he received the John P. McGovern Award and Lectureship from the American Society of Addiction Medicine
for his contributions to the treatment of addictive disorders.
Despite the fame, Lewis still loves teaching the best
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
.
He is Chairman of the Board of Directors of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
' National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence
National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence
The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence was founded in 1944 by the first female member of Alcoholics Anonymous , Marty Mann . It has a nationwide network of 95 affiliates around the United States...
. He serves on the Executive Committee and is former Executive Director of the Association for Medical Education and Research in Substance Abuse, and is the founder and a member of the Board of Directors of Physicians and Lawyers for National Drug Policy.
Dr. Lewis earned his bachelors degree magna cum laude
Latin honors
Latin honors are Latin phrases used to indicate the level of academic distinction with which an academic degree was earned. This system is primarily used in the United States, Canada, and in many countries of continental Europe, though some institutions also use the English translation of these...
from Brown University in 1957 and his medical degree at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1961. He specialized in internal medicine and later in treatment of alcoholism and addiction to other drugs.
He entered the field of addictions while an internal medicine resident at Boston's Beth Israel Hospital
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts is a major flagship teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. It was formed out of the 1996 merger of Beth Israel Hospital and New England Deaconess Hospital...
, where he collaborated with famed Harvard psychiatrist Norman Zinberg
Norman Zinberg
Dr. Norman E. Zinberg was a psychoanalyst and psychiatrist whose research into addiction is seen as a great influence on current clinical models and greatly influenced the work of addiction treatment specialists such as Stanton Peele.Zinberg studied recreational heroin users over a ten year...
on seminal work on heroin addiction (Zinberg & Lewis, 1964; Lewis & Zinberg, 1964). He later served from 1963-1964 as a health policy advisor to Cleveland mayor Dennis Kucinich
Dennis Kucinich
Dennis John Kucinich is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1997. He was furthermore a candidate for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States in the 2004 and 2008 presidential elections....
and became a leading advocate for legalization of heroin maintenance programs (Lewis, 1964). From 1972 through 1979 he directed the Washingtonian Center for Addictions. He became Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School in 1975. In 1976 he joined the Brown University faculty as an Associate Professor of Medicine and director of the Program in Alcoholism and Drug Abuse. He was named the Donald G. Millar Distinguished Scholar in Alcoholism Studies at Brown University in 1979 and chaired the Department of Community Health from 1981 through 1986. In 1982, he founded the Brown University Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies and was designated the Donald G. Millar Distinguished Professor of Alcohol and Addiction Studies as well as Professor of Medicine and Community Health. He directed the alcohol studies center for 18 years prior to his retirement. From 1990 through 1991 he was Scholar-in-Residence in the National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
-Institute of Medicine
Institute of Medicine
The Institute of Medicine is a not-for-profit, non-governmental American organization founded in 1970, under the congressional charter of the National Academy of Sciences...
in Washington, DC.
In 1976, Dr. Lewis was one of the founders of the Association for Medical Education and Research in Substance Abuse (AMERSA). He served as President of AMERSA from 1983 through 1985 and became Executive Editor of AMERSA's peer-reviewed, quarterly journal Substance Abuse in 1984. From 1986 through 1995 he was director of AMERSA's National Office, which was located at Brown University.
Dr. Lewis and David Duncan
David F. Duncan
David F. Duncan, Dr. P.H. was born in Kansas City, Missouri on June 26, 1947. He is President of Duncan & Associates, a firm providing consultation on research design and data collection for behavioral and policy studies. He is also Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Community Health...
, in a presentation at the 1996 annual meeting of the American Public Health Association
American Public Health Association
The American Public Health Association is Washington, D.C.-based professional organization for public health professionals in the United States. Founded in 1872 by Dr. Stephen Smith, APHA has more than 30,000 members worldwide...
, proposed that an alliance of health professionals could best bring about major reform of America's national drug policies. In 1997, he convened a meeting of 37 of the nation's leading physicians which adopted a policy statement declaring the "war on drugs" to be a failed approach and calling for adoption of an approach to drug abuse based on prevention and treatment rather than law enforcement. The group of physician leaders incorporated as Physician Leadership on National Drug Policy (PLNDP), with Dr. Lewis as its Project Director from 1997 through 2003. In 2004, the organization expanded its membership to include a number of leaders of the legal profession and became Physicians and Lawyers for National Drug Policy. Dr, Lewis continues to serve on PLNDP's Board of Directors. Dr. Lewis has been a leading spokesperson for harm reduction (Lewis, Duncan & Clifford, 1997) and for the perspective that sees addiction as being a chronic disease like any other (Lewis, 1994; McLellan, Lewis, O'Brien, & Kleber, 2000).
In 1996 Dr. Lewis delivered the Norman E. Zinberg Memorial Lecture at Cambridge Hospital/Harvard Medical School. He received the American Medical Association
American Medical Association
The American Medical Association , founded in 1847 and incorporated in 1897, is the largest association of medical doctors and medical students in the United States.-Scope and operations:...
's Education and Research Foundation Award in 1997 for outstanding contributions and leadership in championing the inclusion of alcohol and other drug problems into the mainstream of medical practice and medical education. He received the Distinguished Contributions in the Addictions award from Harvard Medical School in 2002, and in 2004 he received the John P. McGovern Award and Lectureship from the American Society of Addiction Medicine
American Society of Addiction Medicine
The American Society of Addiction Medicine is a physician society with a focus on addiction and its treatment.- History :ASAM has its roots in research and clinical traditions that pre-date its founding in the early 1950s, when Ruth Fox, M.D. began regular meetings with other physicians interested...
for his contributions to the treatment of addictive disorders.
Despite the fame, Lewis still loves teaching the best