October 2005
Michael R. Cohen, RPh, MS, ScD, President of the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP), has been named a John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Fellow for 2005. The highly selective Fellowships are awarded to individuals who have shown extraordinary originality and dedication in their professional pursuits, and outstanding promise for important future advances. Dr. Cohen, a founding member and current Board member of ISMP Canada, is being honored for his ability to lead national efforts to ensure safe medication use and protect patients.The MacArthur Foundation is one of the ten largest private philanthropic foundations in the U.S., and Fellows are chosen through a rigorous process. The program does not accept applications or unsolicited nominations. Between 20 and 30 Fellows are chosen each year, each receiving an unrestricted, five-year grant totaling $500,000, which is considered an investment in their potential to use their abilities to benefit society at large. Recent Fellows include academics in the field of science and medicine at top-ranked U.S. universities such as Harvard, Yale, and Stanford.
Dr. Cohen has dedicated his 40-year career in healthcare to bringing about greater understanding of the causes of medication errors and providing the healthcare community with practical prevention strategies. Other accomplishments include helping launch a continuous, voluntary practitioner medication error reporting system; publishing extensively on medication use issues; serving on key national medication safety committees; and providing consultation, education, and assistance on safe medication use to healthcare professionals and organizations around the world.
Please join ISMP Canada in congratulating Dr. Cohen on receiving this prestigious honor for his dedication and innovative approach to medication safety.
