Caring Heart Award: Eve E. Slater, M.D., F.A.C.C.

"Our generation has witnessed many advances in the treatment and prevention of disease, all through the application of biomedical research. A one-third reduction in the incidence of heart attacks through the cholesterol lowering medications, reductions in stroke by use of antihypertensives, translation of HIV/AIDS into a chronic disease, and prevention of heartworm in animals are a few examples. In public health, we have achieved near complete eradication of certain plagues which tormented society, including smallpox and polio. Further progress, however, will not be possible without continued support of research, by both public and private sectors, and vigorous efforts to enhance the quality of biomedical education."

Dr. Eve Slater, the recipient of NJABR's first Caring Heart Award, is one of New Jersey's most distinguished citizens. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Vassar College and an Alpha Omega Alpha graduate of Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons, Dr. Slater completed internship and residency at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and is board certified in both internal medicine and cardiology.

In 1976, Dr. Slater became the first woman Chief Resident in Medicine in the 165-year history of MGH. From 1977-1982, she served as Chief of the Hypertension Unit at MGH and as Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. From 1983-2002, she continued clinical teaching as Adjunct Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at Columbia.

Dr. Slater joined Merck Research Laboratories in 1983 as Senior Director of Biochemical Endocrinology and subsequently held positions as Head of Regulatory Affairs, Vice President of Clinical and Regulatory Development, Senior Vice President, Senior Vice President of External Policy, and Vice President, Corporate Public Affairs. She supervised worldwide regulatory activities for all Merck medicines and vaccines, which included responsibility for FDA and international agency liaison, worldwide NDA submissions, product labeling, quality assurance and pharmacovigilance.

In 2001, President George W. Bush named Dr. Slater to the position of Assistant Secretary of Health, where she served until 2003. When the U.S. Senate confirmed her appointment in January of 2002, she entered the history books as the first woman selected for this position. Under Health and Human Services Director Tommy G. Thompson, Dr. Slater served as chief health policy advisor, with special emphasis on translation medicine including electronic systems and innovations, biosecurity, human subjects' protection, women's health, elder care and HIV/AIDS. During her tenure, federal adoption of eHealth communications standards was initiated, eHealth programs were begun in the Indian Health Service, and a response plan for pandemic influenza was drafted for the G8 Health Ministers.

In 2003, Dr. Slater was the Lloyd H. Smith Visiting Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. In that same year, she received the Virginia Kneeland Frantz '22 Distinguished Women in Medicine Award from the College of Physicians and Surgeons and was selected to the National Library of Medicine's Exhibition "Changing the Face of Medicine: Celebrating America's Women Physicians."