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
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 […]
The authors of a recent editorial published by a prestigious medical journal write, “most patients with EVALI had inhaled vapor from e-cigarette liquids containing THC.” [emphasis added] In this piece, I will explain why I used to consider the term ‘THC e-cigarettes’ a logical fallacy, and how I have come to believe this original conclusion […]
David Hockney is not a scientist. He is one of the most important British painters of the twentieth century, best known for his contributions to the 1960s pop art movement. As an artist, his contrarian views on Vermeer’s possible use of a camera obscura should be taken seriously. As a contrarian on the subject of […]
COUNTRY Smoking (these data are preliminary) Nicotine Vaping CHINA26.6% smoke* 13 studies covering 5,960 hospitalized COVID-19 patients: 6.5% recorded as smokers (average) NO DATA US13.7% smoke* CDC data covering 7,162 COVID-19 patients:1.3% recorded as current smokers NO DATA GERMANY21% smoke* Peer-reviewed study of 50 hospitalized COVID-19 patients: 6% recorded as current smokers NO DATA FRANCE27% […]
Tobacco Free Portfolios conducted a special webinar for #WorldNoTobaccoDay. We agree that the financial community can and should hold #tobacco companies accountable. The Tobacco Transformation Index may be a tool that can help bring us closer to that goal. https://bit.ly/2B2IVBD
On May 29, Derek Yach (@swimdaily) will join other opinion leaders for the #CataniaConversation, a webinar dedicated to filling the gaps in communication on #TobaccoHarmReduction and #HarmReduction for a healthy life.
#CataniaConversation: Pleased to moderate the first of it's kind webinar for #journalists & #opinion leaders with a focus on #scientific communication & harm reduction. https://cataniaconversation.coehar.org/1st-webinar-catania-conversation/ @CoeharUnict @CC_Coehar
Dyborn Chibonga (@decee2012), @AGRAAlliance's regional head of #Malawi and #Mozambique, joins Derek Yach on the Global Health Perspectives podcast. They discuss Malawi’s #tobacco farmers & #COVID19. Dyborn is a member of @SmokeFreeFdn's board of directors. https://bit.ly/36th9Kq
CEO Insights magazine recently featured Nilesh Jain and the Harm Reduction Research & Innovation Center (HRRIC). Click here to read more about how/why Nilesh and the HRRIC are trying to broaden the research on #tobaccoharmreduction tools in #India. https://bit.ly/2yv60w8
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