William Foege

William H. Foege
Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
In office
1977–1983
PresidentJimmy Carter
Ronald Reagan
Preceded byDavid Sencer
Succeeded byJames Mason
Personal details
Born(1936-03-12)March 12, 1936
Decorah, Iowa[1]
DiedJanuary 24, 2026(2026-01-24) (aged 89)
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Spouse(s)Paula Foege
EducationPacific Lutheran University (BA)
University of Washington (MD)
Harvard School of Public Health(MPH)
AwardsConrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize
MacArthur Genius Grant

William Herbert Foege[2] M.D., M.P.H. (/ˈfeɪɡi/;[3] March 12, 1936 – January 24, 2026) was an American epidemiologist. He was seen as the person responsible for "the eradication of smallpox in the late 1970s".[4] He was the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 1977 to 1983 during the presidencies of Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan.

Foege died from congestive heart failure in Atlanta, Georgia, on January 24, 2026, at the age of 89.[5]

References

  1. ↑ "William H. Foege to receive Public Welfare Medal, Academy's highest honor". National Academy of Sciences. January 26, 2005. Retrieved September 26, 2009.
  2. ↑ The Crimson Staff (June 5, 1997). "Eleven granted honorary degrees". The Harvard Crimson. Archived from the original on February 15, 2006. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  3. ↑ Hagen R (May 8, 2006). "Say how? A pronunciation guide to names of public figures". National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress. Retrieved September 26, 2009.
  4. ↑ Paulson T (March 9, 2006). "Carter hails UW's shy hero Foege. New building named for health leader is dedicated". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved September 26, 2009.
  5. ↑ Schneider, Keith; Gay Stolberg, Sheryl (24 January 2026). "William H. Foege, Key Figure in the Eradication of Smallpox, Dies at 89". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 January 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)