Children's Cancer Cause Presents Rosen Research Award to Harvard’s Dr. Kesselheim

Children’s Cancer Cause is presenting the Leonard M. Rosen Memorial Research Award to Aaron Kesselheim, MD, JD, MPH, tonight in New York City. Dr. Kesselheim is Director of the Program On Regulation, Therapeutics, and Law (PORTAL) at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

“Prescription drugs can be life-changing treatments for children with cancer, and so we need to make sure that there is adequate support for their discovery and development, that they are rigorously tested in the appropriate populations, and that they are accessible to the patients who need them,” Kesselheim stated in advance of the Thursday night event.  “My research in pharmaceutical policy—done in close collaboration with my colleagues at PORTAL and the Division of Pharmacoepidemiology—touches on all of these subjects, and it’s an honor to be recognized by a group like Children’s Cause that is dedicated to supporting these goals.”

The Award honors CCCA chairman and founding member Leonard Rosen and his many years of service on the board of directors. Leonard was the proud grandfather of a child treated successfully for rhabdomyosarcoma. He was a brilliant and astute advocate, who worked to advance research and regulations that could improve the effectiveness of childhood cancer therapies. 

In tribute to his legacy, the Award is granted annually to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to childhood cancer policy and advocacy, recognizing the importance and unique challenges associated with the care and treatment of children with cancer.

Dr. Kesselheim was selected for the second annual presentation of this award in recognition of his critical research advancing treatments and access for children battling cancer. His work in the legal and regulatory fields of drug development and approval, as well as insurance coverage and reimbursement practices, informs and supports the policy efforts of Children’s Cause and childhood cancer advocates.

“It’s a privilege to present this year’s award to someone with as distinguished and accomplished a career as Dr. Kesselheim,” said George Dahlman, CEO of Children’s Cause. “Dr. Kesselheim’s dedication to accelerating innovative therapies honors Leonard Rosen’s memory and aligns with our mission of achieving access to less toxic therapies for the nearly 16,000 kids diagnosed with cancer every year.”

Dr. Kesselheim is also a faculty member in the Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics and an Irving S. Ribicoff Visiting Associate Professor of Law at Yale Law School.