Charles H. Hennekens, M.D., Dr.P.H., F.A.C.P.M., F.A.C.C.
First Sir Richard Doll Professor of Medicine and Preventive Medicine and Senior Academic Advisor
777 Glades Road
Boca Raton, FL 33431
BC 71, Room 213
p: 561-297-0022
Department: Medicine, Population Health
Biography
Professor Hennekens is the first Sir Richard Doll Professor and Senior Academic Advisor and served as 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.泭 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
- 2024-2026 Interim Chair, Department of Population Health, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, 911勛圖
- 2004-Present: First Sir Richard Doll Professor & Senior Academic Advisor, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, 911勛圖
- 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 Womens 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
- Andreotti F, Crea F, Patti G, Shoulders C, Navarese EP, Robishaw J, Maseri A, Hennekens CH: 泭Family history in first degree relatives of patients with premature cardiovascular disease. Int J Card, 2021, published online ahead of print, March 23
- Mukhtarova N, VanDoorn R. Lasarev M, Kim, KY, Hennekens CH, Hoppe K. 泭Dose of aspirin required for prevention of preterm preeclampsia in moderate and high-risk women: Meta-analysis of randomized trials. 泭PloS1, 2021, published online ahead of print in February
- Palumbo S, Robishaw J, Krasnoff J, Hennekens CH. 泭Different biases in meta-analyses of case-control and cohort studies: An example from genomics and precision medicine. 泭Ann Epi. 2021, published online ahead of print on March 23.
- 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.
- Muppala V, Rubenstein A, Hennekens, Levine RS, Wood SK: 泭Temporal and racial trends in suicide by firearms, Ann Pub Health & Res 2021. 泭published online ahead of print on May 27
- Solano JJ, Clayton LM, Parks DJ, Polley SE, Hughes PG, Hennekens CH, Shih RD, Alter SM: 泭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
- Kim K, Hennekens CH, Martinez L, Gaziano JM, Pfeffer MA, Biglione B, Gitin A, McCabe JB, Cook TD,泭 泭 泭 DeMets DL, Wood SK. Primary care providers should prescribe aspirin to prevent cardiovascular disease based on benefitrisk ratio, not age. BMJ Family Med Community Health. 2021 published online ahead of print, Dec;9(4):e001475. doi:10.1136/fmch-2021-001475.
- DeDonno MA, Ferris AH, Molnar A, Haire HM, Sule SS, Hennekens CH, Wood SK. 泭Perceptions, coping strategies and mental health of residents during COVID-19. 泭SMJ 2022, published online ahead of print
- 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
- Ware D, Landy DC, Rabil A, Hennekens CH, Hecht EM. Adherence to Healthy Behaviors and Self Reported 泭Health, Pub Health Nut 2022, published online ahead of print
- 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. 泭AJM, 2022, 135:1263-1266 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2022.05.015
- 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
- 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
- Ghaddar TM, Ferris A, Mejia M, Ravi S, Zoorob R, Levine RS, Hennekens CH Caceres J. 泭Increasing 泭trends in deaths from drug overdoses. AJM,2023 published online ahead of print in September
- 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. 泭Am J Emerg Med, 2023 published online ahead of print on October 20.
- Mejia MC, Adele, A, Levine RS, Hennekens CH, Kitsantas P: Cigarette use in adolescents 泭Ochsner Med J 泭2024, published online ahead of print in January
- 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
- Kitsantas P, Densley S, Rao M, Sacca L, Levine RS, Hennekens CH, Mejia MC Increases in drug related mortality in United states children. 泭J Perinatal Med, 2024, published online ahead of print in May
- 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.
- 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.
- Matarrazo A, Hennekens CH, Dunn J, Benson K, Willett Y, Mejia MC, Levine RS, Kitsantas P. Trends of increasing US mortality from alcohol. 泭AJM ,2024, Published online ahead of print November 15
- 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
- Mejia MC, Hennekens CH, Levine RS, Kitsantas P. 泭Deaths of despair: an increasing contributor to United States deaths, Adv Prev Med & Health Care, 2025, published online in January
- 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. 泭Clin Case Rep, 2025, published online in March
- Jaen L, Handa I, Saffer R, Alwahabi S, Snell A, Hennekens CH, Luck GW, Arterial emboli to 泭middle cerebral 泭during and post-operative pneumonectomy for lung cancer. , J Cardio Thoracic & Vasc Anesthes, 2025, published online in March
- 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
- Sajan K, Anthireddy N, Matarazzo A, Furtado C, Hennekens CH, Ferris A. Ultra processed food consumption and high levels of C-reactive protein. 泭AJM, 2025, published online ahead of print on September 3
- 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
- Hennekens CH. 泭Feyzi J, Pfeffer MA, DeMets DL To treat or not to treat: 泭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
- Hennekens CH. Chertow GC, Hoel J. 泭Evaluation of Cinacalcet Hydrochloride Therapy to Lower泭 Cardiovascular Events (EVOLVE); 泭Data monitoring is neither simple nor straightforward. in Evans S (ed) in Data Monitoring Committees in Clinical Trials, 2nd edition, 2026, in press
- Kitsantas, P., Benson, K.N., Rubenstein, A., Mejia, M.C, Levine, R.S., Hennekens, C.H., 泭Wood, S.K. Prenatal Cannabis Use and Adverse Health Outcomes in Neonates and Early Childhood. Pediatrics & Neonatology, 2026, in press
- 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
- Azhar M, Fiedler L, Espinosa PE, Hennekens CH. 泭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
- Ardeljan A, Fiedler B, Fiedler L, Luck G, Hennekens CH, Maki DG, Clayton L, Ferris A.: Over the counter naxolone: 泭Opportunities and Challenges for Health Care Providers, 2023, Am J Med, published online ahead of print in March
- 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.
- Hennekens CH, Bandi R. Bonthu S, Pfeffer MA, Ferris A. New challengers for health providers in prescription of statins in the elderly. 泭2023, AJM, published online ahead of print in December
- 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.
- Collamore G, Nagpal Y, Fiedler L, Garone MA, DeMets DL, Maki, DG, DiCorcia M. Hennekens CH, 泭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.
- 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
- Davis BR, Hennekens CH, Greenwald J. Dunn J, Matarazzo A, Benson K, Kitsantas P, Rubin S. New clinical泭 challenges in uncontrolled hypertension: The old silent killer is still alive and well. AJM, 2024, published online ahead of print in August
- 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
- 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
- Drowos J, Hennekens CH, Rubin S: 泭Anaphylaxis practice guidelines, Fam Med, 2024, published online ahead of print in October
- Wittes J,DeMets DL, Kim, K, Maki DG, Pfeffer MA, Gaziano JM, Kitsantas P, 泭Hennekens CH, Wood SK. Aspirin in primary prevention: 泭Undue reliance on an uninformative trial led to misinformed clinical guidelines. Clin Trials, The Official Journal of the Society for Clinical Trials, 2025, 泭published online ahead of print April 1
- Wittes J, DeMets DL, 泭Kim, K, 泭Maki DG, Pfeffer MA, Gaziano JM, Kitsantas P, 泭Hennekens CH, 泭Wood 泭 泭 泭 泭SK; 泭Invited response to an accompanying commentary by泭 Cleland, JGF.. Clin Trials, The Official Journal of the Society for Clinical Trials, 2025, 泭published online ahead of print April 1
- Hennekens CH. 泭The five seekers by Rolando M. Ochoa Jr. 泭Book review, Amazon, 2025, published online in late January
- Mejia MC, Price-Wise G, Duffy EC, Matarazzo A, Benson K, Willett Y, Hennekens CH, Kitsantas P. 泭Building understanding and empathy: Overcoming us versus them SMJ, 2025, published online ahead of print in July
- 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.
- Dunn J, Perumareddi P, Hennekens CH: 泭The case to clinicians for therapeutic lifestyle changes to prevent age related cognitive decline. 泭2025, AJM, 泭published online ahead of print on September 8
- Willett, Y, Dunn J, Garone MA, Hennekens CH. 泭Updates for healthcare providers: Myths concerning acetaminophen, 泭2025, AJM, published online ahead of print November 14
- Matarazzo A, Molle A, Hennekens CH. 泭Dupilumab for bullous pemphigoid: To treat or not to treat? Cutis, 2025, 泭published online ahead of print November
- Feinblum H, Martinez LC, Dunn J, Maki DG, Hennekens CH. 泭Clinical and public health challenges in achieving 泭antimicrobial stewardship in 泭outpatient settings, AJM, 2025, published online ahead of print on 泭November 28
- Hennekens CH. 泭Foreward to The Preventioneers by Davis BR, 2026, to be published on May 5
Textbooks
- 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
- Kitsantas P, Mejia M, Hennekens CH. Edited by Seits G. 泭Handbook of Epidemiology for all health professionals, 2026, Cognella, in press
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. 泭He is the only male graduate among over 1 million 泭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, 泭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), 911勛圖,
Major Committee Assignments
- 2012-present 泭Founding ex-officio member, Advisory Committee, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine (COM), 911勛圖
- 2014-2020 Member, Conflict of Interest Committee, Division of Research, 911勛圖
- 2015-2019 Member, Intercollegiate Athletics Committee (IAC). 911勛圖
- 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, 911勛圖
- 2015-2019 Member, Academic Integrity Subcommittee of the Intercollegiate Athletics Committee (IAC), 911勛圖
- 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, 911勛圖
- 2017-2020 Member, Subcommittee on Academic Programs, International Center for Emergency Management, 911勛圖
- 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, 911勛圖
- 2017-2022 Member, Undergraduate and Graduate Medical Education Research Committee, COM, 911勛圖
- 2018 Member, Organizing Committee, I Am Hillel
- 2019 Member, Advisory Board, Wei-Bridge
- 2020 Member, Promotions and Tenure Committee, COM, 911勛圖
- 2021 Member, Advisory Committee, International Parkour Federation
- 2022-2023 Interim Chair, Department of Population Health, COM, 911勛圖
- 2024-2025 Member, Search Committee, Dean, COM, 911勛圖
- 2025 Ex-officio Member Search Committee for Senior Biostatistician, Department of Population Health, COM, 911勛圖
- 2025-2026 Member, Search Committee for permanent Chair of the Department of Population Health, COM, 911勛圖
- 2025-2026 Interim Chair, Department of Population Health, COM,911勛圖
- 2025-2026 Chair, Epidemiology Fast Track for COM medical students, COM, 911勛圖
- 2025 -2026 Member, Council of Chairs, Office of the Provost, 911勛圖
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, 911勛圖
- 2019 Member, Planning Committee, International Academy of Cardiology Meeting
- 2020 Roundtable Speaker and Panelist, FIU Conference on Fellowships and Career Planning
- 2020 Invited speaker: 泭International Academy of Cardiology Meeting
- 2021-Co-Investigator and Teacher, Introduction to Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Professor Katherine Freeman, (PI) COM, 911勛圖
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