Charles H. Hennekens, M.D., Dr.P.H., F.A.C.P.M., F.A.C.C.

Biography

Professor Hennekens is the first Sir Richard Doll Professor and Senior Academic Advisor and Interim Chair, Department of Population Health from April 1, 2024 to March 2, 2026. He was first John Snow and first Eugene Braunwald Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and first Chief of Preventive Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital. He is a Fellow of the American College of Preventive Medicine (FACPM) and the American College of Cardiology (FACC). Since 2002, Professor Hennekens has been a Special Government Employee (SGE) serving as consultant to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  He serves as chair or member of numerous Data and Safety Monitoring Boards of large-scale randomized trials. As of January 2026, Professor Hennekens is the author/co-author of over 1000 peer reviewed publications and 5 text books. From 1995 to 2005 Professor Hennekens was the third most widely cited medical researcher in the world and five of the top 20 were his former fellows and/or trainees. In 2012, Science Heroes ranked him number 81 in the history of the world for having saved more than 1.1 million lives.  This ranks him ahead of Jonas Salk, who developed the polio vaccine, at number 83 and Henry Heimlich, who invented the Heimlich maneuver, at number 103.

Education

• 1959-1960: University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School of Finance and Commerce
• 1963: B.S., Queens College, Magna cum laude
• 1967: M.D., Cornell University Medical College
• 1972: M.P.H., Harvard School of Public Health
• 1973: M.S., Harvard School of Public Health (Epidemiology)
• 1975: Dr.P.H., Harvard School of Public Health (Epidemiology)
• 1996: D.Sc., University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, honoris causa
• 1999: D.Sc., Queens College, The City University of New York, honoris causa

Postdoctoral Training

• 1967-1968: Intern in Medicine, The New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY
• 1968-1969: Resident, Internal Medicine, The New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY
• 1969-1971: Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) Officer, Lieutenant Commander, United States Public Health Service, assigned to the Dade County Department of Public Health, Miami, FL
• 1971-1975: Postdoctoral Fellowship in Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA

Work History

• 2013-Present: Adjunct Professor of Family & Community Medicine, Meharry Medical College
• 2025-Present Interim Chair, Department of Population Health, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, FAU
• 2004-Present: First Sir Richard Doll Professor & Senior Academic Advisor, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, FAU
• 2001-Present: Clinical Professor of Preventive Medicine, Nova Southeastern University
• 2000-Present: Visiting Fellow, Green-Templeton College and Clinical Trial Service and Epidemiology Studies Unit (CTSU), University of Oxford, UK
• 1971-Present: Voluntary Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health as well as Family Medicine & Community Health, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
• 1975-2000: First John Snow Professor of Medicine and First Eugene Braunwald Braunwald Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School and First Chief of Preventive Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital

Scholarly Activity

Major Interests

• Preventive and Internal Medicine: Research, Clinical, Teaching, and Training
• Epidemiology: Prevention and Treatment of Chronic (especially Cardiovascular and Cancer) as well as Acute Diseases
• Study Design: Strengths and Limitations of Descriptive and Analytic Studies (Case-Control, Cohort and Randomized Trials)

Selected Peer-Reviewed Publications

From 2021-2026

1. Andreotti F, Crea F, Patti G, Shoulders C, Navarese EP, Robishaw J, Maseri A, Hennekens CH:  Family history in first degree relatives of patients with premature cardiovascular disease. Int J Card, 2021, published online ahead of print, March 23
2. Mukhtarova N, VanDoorn R. Lasarev M, Kim, KY, Hennekens CH, Hoppe K.  Dose of aspirin required for prevention of preterm preeclampsia in moderate and high-risk women: Meta-analysis of randomized trials.  PloS1, 2021, published online ahead of print in February
3. Palumbo S, Robishaw J, Krasnoff J, Hennekens CH.  Different biases in meta-analyses of case-control and cohort studies: An example from genomics and precision medicine.  Ann Epi. 2021, published online ahead of print on March 23.
4. Krishnaswamy S, Rane M, Gaziano J, Hennekens CH. Evolution of Knowledge in the Treatment of Long-Standing Atrial Fibrillation in a UK Tennis Champion. Cureus 2021 13(4): e14624. DOI 10.7759/cureus.1462.
5. Muppala V, Rubenstein A, Hennekens, Levine RS, Wood SK:  Temporal and racial trends in suicide by firearms, Ann Pub Health & Res 2021.  published online ahead of print on May 27
6. Solano JJ, Clayton LM, Parks DJ, Polley SE, Hughes PG, Hennekens CH, Shih RD, Alter SM:  Prehospital ketamine administration for excited delirium with cocaine and increased subsequent intubation in the Emergency Department, 2021, Prehosp &Dis Med, published online ahead of print on September 23
7. Kim K, Hennekens CH, Martinez L, Gaziano JM, Pfeffer MA, Biglione B, Gitin A, McCabe JB, Cook TD,      DeMets DL, Wood SK. Primary care providers should prescribe aspirin to prevent cardiovascular disease based on benefit−risk ratio, not age. BMJ Family Med Community Health. 2021 published online ahead of print, Dec;9(4):e001475. doi:10.1136/fmch-2021-001475.
8. DeDonno MA, Ferris AH, Molnar A, Haire HM, Sule SS, Hennekens CH, Wood SK.  Perceptions, coping strategies and mental health of residents during COVID-19.  SMJ 2022, published online ahead of print
9. Mejia M, Zoorob R, Levine R, Wang X, Hennekens CH Differences in smoking patterns in a tobacco cessation and lung cancer screening program during COVID-19, Ochs Med J., 2022, published online ahead of print in April
10. Ware D, Landy DC, Rabil A, Hennekens CH, Hecht EM. Adherence to Healthy Behaviors and Self Reported  Health, Pub Health Nut 2022, published online ahead of print
11. Termei O, Fiedler L, Martinez L, Foster J, Perumareddi P, Levine RS, Hennekens CH. Alarming trends in mortality from alcoholic cirrhosis in the United States.  AJM, 2022, 135:1263-1266 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2022.05.015
12. Hecht EM, Rabil A, Martinez Steele E, Ware D, Hennekens CH: Ultra-processed food consumption and mental health symptoms in United States adults, Pub H Nut, 2022,published online head of print October
13. Levine RS, Levine EM, Rubenstein A, Muppala V, Mejia MC, Gonzalez S, Zoorob RJ, Hennekens CH, Wood SK: Increasing rates of suicide in American youths, Ann Ped and Child Health, 2022, published online ahead of print in April
14. Ghaddar TM, Ferris A, Mejia M, Ravi S, Zoorob R, Levine RS, Hennekens CH Caceres J.  Increasing  trends in deaths from drug overdoses. AJM,2023 published online ahead of print in September
15. Shih RD, Solano JJ, Engstrom G, Khazem M, Clayton LM, Wells M, Hughes PG, Posaw L, Goldstein L, Hennekens CH, Ouslander JG, Alter SM. Lack of patient and primary care physician follow-up in geriatric emergency department patients with head trauma from a fall.  Am J Emerg Med, 2023 published online ahead of print on October 20.
16. Mejia MC, Adele, A, Levine RS, Hennekens CH, Kitsantas P: Cigarette use in adolescents  Ochsner Med J  2024, published online ahead of print in January
17. Hennekens CH, Mejia MC,Adele A, Levine RS, Kitsantas P: Trends in electronic vapor product use in adolescents Ochsner J. 2024, published online ahead of print in May
18. Kitsantas P, Densley S, Rao M, Sacca L, Levine RS, Hennekens CH, Mejia MC Increases in drug related mortality in United states children.  J Perinatal Med, 2024, published online ahead of print in May
19. Louis S., Nagpal Y, Hennekens CH., Fiedler J. An unusual presentation of systemic lupus erythematosus in a young teenage woman, Cureus, 2024, published online on October 2.
20. Yang J, Mejia MC, Sacca L, Hennekens CH. Kitsantas P. Trends in self reported marijuana use among US adolescents. Ped Rep. 2024, Published online ahead of print on October 11.
21. Matarrazo A, Hennekens CH, Dunn J, Benson K, Willett Y, Mejia MC, Levine RS, Kitsantas P. Trends of increasing US mortality from alcohol.  AJM ,2024, Published online ahead of print November 15
22. Lack B, Childers J, Hennekens CH, Courtney J: Inatramedullary nail failure in a subtrochanteric fracture in a 62-year-old woman, Cureus, 2024, published online ahead of print on December 16
23. Mejia MC, Hennekens CH, Levine RS, Kitsantas P.  Deaths of despair: an increasing contributor to United States deaths, Adv Prev Med & Health Care, 2025, published online in January
24. Willett Y, Meli G, Meli PI, Lack B, Benson K, Kitsantas P, Hennekens CH. Popliteal artery rupture following total knee replacement: A rare but life-threatening complication.  Clin Case Rep, 2025, published online in March
25. Jaen L, Handa I, Saffer R, Alwahabi S, Snell A, Hennekens CH, Luck GW, Arterial emboli to  middle cerebral  during and post-operative pneumonectomy for lung cancer. , J Cardio Thoracic & Vasc Anesthes, 2025, published online in March
26. Miranda HAD, Ostanin J, Shugar S, Carmenza Mejia, M, Sacca L, Doucette ML, Hennekens CH, Kitsantas P. Trends and interrelationships among United States adolescents for cannabis use disorder and treatment outcomes. Pediatric Reports, 2025, published online July 25
27. Sajan K, Anthireddy N, Matarazzo A, Furtado C, Hennekens CH, Ferris A. Ultra processed food consumption and high levels of C-reactive protein.  AJM, 2025, published online ahead of print on September 3
28. Hofecker A, Carlsward B, Duffy EC, Dunn J, Matarazzo A, Barton L, Bagno L, Hennekens CH, Crossen SL. Routine individual and periodic dental care avoided local and possibly systemic complications of periodontal disease. J Dent Prob and Sol, 2025, published online ahead of print on November 1
29. Hennekens CH.  Feyzi J, Pfeffer MA, DeMets DL To treat or not to treat:  Lessons in Data Monitoring from the Trial to Reduce Cardiovascular Events with Aranesp Therapy (TREAT) Evans S (ed) in Data Monitoring Committees in Clinical Trials, 2nd edition, 2026, in press
30. Hennekens CH. Chertow GC, Hoel J.  Evaluation of Cinacalcet Hydrochloride Therapy to Lower  Cardiovascular Events (EVOLVE);  Data monitoring is neither simple nor straightforward. in Evans S (ed) in Data Monitoring Committees in Clinical Trials, 2nd edition, 2026, in press
31. Kitsantas, P., Benson, K.N., Rubenstein, A., Mejia, M.C, Levine, R.S., Hennekens, C.H.,  Wood, S.K. Prenatal Cannabis Use and Adverse Health Outcomes in Neonates and Early Childhood. Pediatrics & Neonatology, 2026, in press
32. Kitsantas P, Sacca L, Ferris A, Hennekens CH, Mejia MC, Trends and variations in hospital admissions for cannabis use disorder among United States pregnant women, J Peri Med 2026, in press

Reviews and Commentaries

33. Azhar M, Fiedler L, Espinosa PE, Hennekens CH.  Proton pump inhibitors and dementia: A hypothesis formulated but not adequately tested. 2022, J Alz Dis & other Dem. Published online ahead of print in January
34. Ardeljan A, Fiedler B, Fiedler L, Luck G, Hennekens CH, Maki DG, Clayton L, Ferris A.: Over the counter naxolone:  Opportunities and Challenges for Health Care Providers, 2023, Am J Med, published online ahead of print in March
35. Wittes J, Fleming T, DeMets D, Ellenberg S, Gerstein H, Pfeffer MA, Rockhold F, Yusuf S, Hennekens CH. The Data Monitoring Committee: a collective or a collection. 2023, TIRS, published online ahead of print in April.
36. Hennekens CH, Bandi R. Bonthu S, Pfeffer MA, Ferris A. New challengers for health providers in prescription of statins in the elderly.  2023, AJM, published online ahead of print in December
37. Sherling DH, Hennekens CH, Ferris A: Newest updates for health providers on hazards of ultraprocessed foods and possible solutions. AJM, 2024, published online ahead of print February 1.
38. Collamore G, Nagpal Y, Fiedler L, Garone MA, DeMets DL, Maki, DG, DiCorcia M. Hennekens CH,  Updates for health care providers on new guidelines for treatment with over the counter drugs for mild symptoms of COVID-19, AJM, 2024, published online ahead of print on March 29.
39. Kitsantas P. Mejia, MC, Sewak R, Sacca L, Hennekens CH, Vibroacoustic therapy to treat pain in the temporomandibular joint Med Hypo 2024, published online ahead of print in May
40. Davis BR, Hennekens CH, Greenwald J. Dunn J, Matarazzo A, Benson K, Kitsantas P, Rubin S. New clinical  challenges in uncontrolled hypertension: The old silent killer is still alive and well. AJM, 2024, published online ahead of print in August
41. Hennekens CH, Sherling DH, Caceres A, Benson, K, Rubenstein A, Ferris A, Kitsantas P, Wood SK: The alarming emerging pandemic of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 2024, published online ahead of print in September
42. Kitsantas P, Benson K, Knecht M, Al-Farauki S, Hennekens CH, Learman L: Emerging diagnostic tools for early diagnosis of endometriosis. Rep Med Gyn & Ob, 2024, published online August 12
43. Drowos J, Hennekens CH, Rubin S:  Anaphylaxis practice guidelines, Fam Med, 2024, published online ahead of print in October
44. Wittes J,DeMets DL, Kim, K, Maki DG, Pfeffer MA, Gaziano JM, Kitsantas P,  Hennekens CH, Wood SK. Aspirin in primary prevention:  Undue reliance on an uninformative trial led to misinformed clinical guidelines. Clin Trials, The Official Journal of the Society for Clinical Trials, 2025,  published online ahead of print April 1
45. Wittes J, DeMets DL,  Kim, K,  Maki DG, Pfeffer MA, Gaziano JM, Kitsantas P,  Hennekens CH,  Wood        SK;  Invited response to an accompanying commentary by  Cleland, JGF.. Clin Trials, The Official Journal of the Society for Clinical Trials, 2025,  published online ahead of print April 1
46. Hennekens CH.  The five seekers by Rolando M. Ochoa Jr.  Book review, Amazon, 2025, published online in late January
47. Mejia MC, Price-Wise G, Duffy EC, Matarazzo A, Benson K, Willett Y, Hennekens CH, Kitsantas P.  Building understanding and empathy: Overcoming “us” versus “them” SMJ, 2025, published online ahead of print in July
48. Dunn J, Hennekens CH. LDL and beyond in the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease. TCM, 2025, published online ahead of print on August 1.
49. Dunn J, Perumareddi P, Hennekens CH:  The case to clinicians for therapeutic lifestyle changes to prevent age related cognitive decline.  2025, AJM,  published online ahead of print on September 8
50. Willett, Y, Dunn J, Garone MA, Hennekens CH.  Updates for healthcare providers: Myths concerning acetaminophen,  2025, AJM, published online ahead of print November 14
51. Matarazzo A, Molle A, Hennekens CH.  Dupilumab for bullous pemphigoid: To treat or not to treat? Cutis, 2025,  published online ahead of print November
52. Feinblum H, Martinez LC, Dunn J, Maki DG, Hennekens CH.  Clinical and public health challenges in achieving  antimicrobial stewardship in  outpatient settings, AJM, 2025, published online ahead of print on  November 28
53. Hennekens CH.  Foreward to The Preventioneers by Davis BR, 2026, to be published on May 5

Textbooks

54. Kitsantas P, Caceres J, Price-Wise G, Hennekens CH. Edited by Seits G. Pocketbook and Manual of Physical Activity to Combat the “New Silent Killer:” 2025. Amazon, published online on June 29
55. Kitsantas P, Mejia M, Hennekens CH. Edited by Seits G.  Handbook of Epidemiology for all health professionals, 2026, Cognella, in press

View Pubmed Feed

Awards and Honors

• On 2013, he received the Fries Prize for Improving Global Health from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• In 2014, he received the Ochsner Award from the American College of Chest Physicians for reducing premature deaths due to cigarette smoking.
• In 2014, he was inducted into the Queens College Athletic Hall of Fame.  He is the only male graduate among over 1 million  inducted into both the Achievement and Athletic Halls of Fame.
• In 2015, the baseball stadium at Queens College was named Hennekens Stadium in perpetuity.
• In 2016, the New England Journal of Medicine cited his 1997 original manuscript on aspirin, inflammation, and coronary heart disease as their most influential paper of the last 20 years
• In 2018, he was awarded a Distinguished Fellowship in the International Academy of Cardiology for lifetime achievements.
• In 2019, 2023 and 2024,  he was given the Honor Your Doctor Award by the Rotary Club of Downtown Boca.
• In 2020, he was elected to the Royal Society of Medicine.
• In 2022, he was elected to Sigma XI the Research Honor Society in recognition of his scholarly achievements and contributions
• In 2026, he was an invited lecturer in the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), FAU,

Major Committee Assignments

• 2012-present  Founding ex-officio member, Advisory Committee, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine (COM), FAU
• 2014-2020 Member, Conflict of Interest Committee, Division of Research, FAU
• 2015-2019 Member, Intercollegiate Athletics Committee (IAC). FAU
• 2015-2016 Member Scientific Executive Committee of the International Academy of Cardiology
• 2015-2019 Member, Student-Athlete Well Being Subcommittee of the Intercollegiate Athletics Committee, FAU
• 2015-2019 Member, Academic Integrity Subcommittee of the Intercollegiate Athletics Committee (IAC), FAU
• 2016-2021 Chair, Preventive Medicine Residency Research Oversight Committee, (RROC), Preventive Medicine Residency Program, Palm Beach County Health Department and Nova Southeastern University
• 2017-2020 Member, Board of Advisors, International Center for Emergency Management, FAU
• 2017-2020 Member, Subcommittee on Academic Programs, International Center for Emergency Management, FAU
• 2017 Member, Athletic Alumni Advisory Board, Queens College
• 2017-2019 COM representative, Steering Committee, Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM) initiative, Division of Research, FAU
• 2017-2022 Member, Undergraduate and Graduate Medical Education Research Committee, COM, FAU
• 2018 Member, Organizing Committee, I Am Hillel
• 2019 Member, Advisory Board, Wei-Bridge
• 2020 Member, Promotions and Tenure Committee, COM, FAU
• 2021 Member, Advisory Committee, International Parkour Federation
• 2022-2023 Interim Chair, Department of Population Health, COM, FAU
• 2024-2025 Member, Search Committee, Dean, COM, FAU
• 2025 Ex-officio Member Search Committee for Senior Biostatistician, Department of Population Health, COM, FAU
• 2025-2026 Member, Search Committee for permanent Chair of the Department of Population Health, COM, FAU
• 2025-2026 Interim Chair, Department of Population Health, COM,FAU
• 2025-2026 Chair, Epidemiology Fast Track for COM medical students, COM, FAU
• 2025 -2026 Member, Council of Chairs, Office of the Provost, FAU

Teaching Experience

• 2018 Faculty: Training future members of Independent Data Monitoring Committees, Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine & Public Health
• 2018 Invited Speaker, Journal Club, American Medical Student Association, COM, FAU
• 2019 Member, Planning Committee, International Academy of Cardiology Meeting
• 2020 Roundtable Speaker and Panelist, FIU Conference on Fellowships and Career Planning
• 2020 Invited speaker:  International Academy of Cardiology Meeting
• 2021-Co-Investigator and Teacher, Introduction to Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Professor Katherine Freeman, (PI) COM, FAU

Professional Affiliations

• 1968: Diplomate, National Board of Medical Examiners
• 1968-71: New York Medical License
• 1971-Present: Massachusetts Medical License
• 1972-78: Florida Medical License
• 1976: Diplomate, American Board of Preventive Medicine
• 1976: Fellow, American College of Preventive Medicine (FACPM)
• 1981: Fellow, American College of Epidemiology (FACE)
• 1992: Fellow, American College of Angiology (FACA)
• 1995: Fellow, American College of Cardiology (FACC)
• 2002-Present: Florida Medical License