As Director of Health Science and Technology, Dr. Charles A. Gardner manages the Foundation’s investments in innovation to catalyze and accelerate the development of higher-efficacy smoking cessation products and services, and to ensure that options to quit and reduce harm are accessible in low- and middle-income countries.
Dr. Gardner has over two decades of experience creating and managing international health R&D programs and partnerships in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. He has served as the Program Officer for Africa and the Middle East at the US National Institutes of Health; Science Attaché at the US Embassy in India; Associate Director for Health Equity in the Rockefeller Foundation; Senior Advisor on Research Strategy to the WHO; and Director of Child Health in the UBS Optimus Foundation in Zurich, Switzerland.
A seasoned leader in global health innovation, Dr. Gardner has served on the boards of the University of Michigan’s Center for Global Health, the Rockefeller Foundation’s pioneering impact investment fund (ProVenEx), and international non-profits. He currently serves on the board of a non-profit that promotes an innovative approach to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) training in low-income countries.
After completing his PhD, Dr. Gardner was awarded a Congressional Science Fellowship to advise the US Congress on health and science policy issues. He has also taught healthcare ethics as an Associate Professor at Howard University in Washington, D.C., and has over 90 publications.
Dr. Gardner is based in New York City. He holds a PhD in Developmental Neurobiology from the University of Michigan Medical School.
POSTS BY AUTHOR
In recent years, various parties have endeavored to name and rename what the majority of consumers call “e-cigarettes.” Most notably, the World Health Organization (WHO) has rechristened these products “Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems and Electronic Non-Nicotine Delivery Systems” (ENDS/ENNDS). Below, I describe the confusion caused by such renaming efforts—and why it matters. Name confusion The […]
Continued from Part Two: The misinfodemic spreads worldwide The first two parts of this series were based on an independent analysis of 18,000 news stories covering “EVALI” – an outbreak of lung injuries that occurred in the United States in 2019. The probable cause of that outbreak is now clear: An adulterant in unregulated illicit […]
Continued from Part One, Searching for ‘patient zero’ This three-part series is based on an independent analysis of 18,000 news stories covering EVALI – an outbreak of vaping-related lung injuries that occurred in the United States in 2019. Part one of this series explained why the most reasonable explanation for the EVALI outbreak is an […]
On May 6, 2020, the American Journal of Public Health (AJPH) published an article by Brian Erkkila, Patricia Kovacevic, and Derek Yach titled, “Restricting Flavors in ENDS Could Have Repercussions Beyond Youths’ Use.” The authors review recent US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory guidance on electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), including plans to restrict […]
The 2019 EVALI ‘Misinfodemic’ Part One (of three): Searching for ‘patient zero’ The Foundation for a Smoke-Free World recently commissioned an independent analysis of media coverage before, during, and after the 2019 US EVALI (e-cigarette, or vaping, product use-associated lung injury) outbreak. Our analysis covered over 18,000 news stories published by top-tier media outlets in […]
Better let them smoke and die? #Bloomberg funded major international #NGO’s logic for #LMICs is baffling and worrying writes @swimdaily. #India #data #bidis #science #harmreduction #health #access #UN #mustread https://therearehumansintheroom.csdconsulting.net/
As the world continues to combat the #COVID19 pandemic, a new survey shows that trust in government is significantly lower than trust in the medical community. Derek Yach writes in @BDliveSA that to change unhealthy behavior, doctors must come to the forefront of public outreach.
People trust the state less than doctors, which is where smoking comes in @BD_Africa @INNCOorg @Filtermag_org #Trust in #government and #doctors is key to public support of health policies- from #COVID19 to #smoking https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/opinion/2020-08-12-people-trust-the-state-less-than-doctors-which-is-where-smoking-comes-in/
The true cost of a #cigarette is more than it seems. As the world begins to smoke less cigarettes, we must help #Malawi’s smallholder #tobaccofarmers switch to sustainable alternative livelihoods. https://bit.ly/3bEUZ8Y
Many governments in #LatinAmerica (including #Mexico, #Argentina, & #Brazil) have passed restrictive policies on safer #nicotine products. @VIDAdotNEWS hosted a panel discussion on the unintended consequences of strict regulations in Latin America.
Live right now: "Why Bans Are Not Best for Latin America"
https://youtu.be/I3tTphE08H4
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