FDA's Boris Lushniak given AMA Award

WASHINGTON, Nov. 15 (UPI) -- Dr. Boris Lushniak of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has been awarded the American Medical Association's Beaumont Award in medicine.

Lushniak, the FDA's assistant commissioner for counter-terrorism policy, was presented the Dr. William Beaumont Award, which is named after a 19th century U.S. Army physician and scientist. It is presented annually to a physician under the age of 50 in recognition of outstanding professional or scientific achievement.

The AMA award citation praised Lushniak's leadership following last year's hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico, including his performance in addressing public health issues following Hurricane Katrina.

Lushniak's efforts during Hurricane Katrina included establishing evacuation shelters, creating a Medical Manpower Committee to coordinate local resources, and resolving medical supply shortages.

Lushniak, 47, was promoted to the rank of assistant surgeon general/rear admiral this year in the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service.

He joined the FDA in March 2004 as chief medical officer in the Office of Counterterrorism Policy and Planning and was promoted to his current post in May 2005.