The National Institute of Social Sciences is delighted to announce Dr. Philip J. Landrigan of Boston College and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai as one of the 2022 Honorees for its Gold Honor Medal for distinguished service to society and humanity.

The National Institute will celebrate Dr. Landrigan and the other Honorees at the 108th Annual Gold Medal Gala, which will be held in person in New York City on Tuesday, December 6, 2022. We hope you will be able to join us to honor Dr. Landrigan and our other extraordinary Honorees and their accomplishments.

Dr. Philip J. Landrigan is a pediatrician, public health physician, and epidemiologist who is recognized as one of the world's leading advocates of children's health. His research uses the tools of epidemiology to elucidate connections between toxic chemicals and human health, especially the health of infants and children. He is particularly interested in understanding how toxic chemicals injure the developing brains and nervous systems of children and in translating this knowledge into public policy to protect health. He is a member of the National Institute of Medicine

Dr. Landrigan’s early studies of lead poisoning conducted in collaboration with his colleague the late Herbert L. Needleman, MD demonstrated that lead is toxic to children even at very low levels and contributed to the US government's decision to remove lead from paint and gasoline, actions that reduced population mean blood lead levels in the USA by more than 90%. A study Dr. Landrigan led in the 1990’s at the National Academy of Sciences defined children’s unique susceptibilities to pesticides and other toxic chemicals and catalyzed fundamental revamping of US pesticide policy. In New York City, where he worked for many years in the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Dr. Landrigan was involved in the medical and epidemiologic follow-up of 20,000 9/11 rescue workers. Our studies of these men and women documented that more than 40% have persistent abnormalities of pulmonary function and that approximately 15% have mental health problems related to their service. From 2015 to 2017, he co-chaired the Lancet Commission on Pollution & Health, which reported that pollution causes 9 million deaths annually and is an existential threat to planetary health. To continue the work of the Lancet Commission on Pollution & Health, Dr. Landrigan now directing the Global Observatory on Pollution and Health at Boston College.

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One of the nation’s oldest honorary societies, the National Institute of Social Sciences has presented Gold Medals each year to men and women whose lives have manifested the highest achievements and who have made significant contributions to society and to humanity. This year’s Honorees joined a distinguished, diverse pantheon of Honorees that stretches back to 1913.

Recent Gold Medal Honorees include Kwame Anthony Appiah, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., and Amartya Sen (2021); Max Stier, Darren Walker, and Judy Woodruff (2020); Paul Edward Farmer and Peter Gelb (2019); Daniel Kahneman, Geraldine Kunstadter, and Elizabeth Barlow Rogers (2018); Ron Chernow, Robert Shiller, and Michael Sovern (2017); Pauline Newman, Richard L. Ottinger, and Robert Putnam, (2016); and John Bogle, Paul Krugman, and Michelle Kwan (2015).

Previous Gold Medal Honorees, 1913-2020

About the National Institute of Social Sciences
Established in 1912, the National Institute of Social Sciences is a voluntary association of public-spirited citizens who explore issues of urgent and lasting concern. One of the nation’s oldest honorary societies, the National Institute sponsors speeches, discussions, and events that encourage balanced, non-partisan debate and discussion; celebrates distinguished Americans and world leaders who have contributed at the highest level to the welfare and improvement of society; and provides financial support to emerging scholars who are conducting research in the social sciences.