Remington Honor Medal Address: The Patients (The People) You Touch

Abstract

is a pharmacist, vaccinologist, and public health leader. In 1996, he wrote "Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery," APhA's CDC-recognized course training more than 340,000 pharmacists. As a U.S. Army Colonel, Grabenstein directed vaccination policy and programs for the U.S. Department of Defense and organized "Immunization University" to train clinicians across health disciplines, spanning multiple continents and dozens of ships at sea. As executive director of medical affairs for Merck Vaccines, he led a global enterprise annually distributing more than 180 million doses of 13 vaccines. John's expertise covers pneumococcal diseases, implementation, and history. He has written more than 300 articles and 11 books on vaccination, public health, biodefense, and leadership. He writes and edits for the Immunization Action Coalition. Grabenstein received his pharmacy degree from Duquesne University, a master's in education from Boston University, then a doctorate in epidemiology at the University of North Carolina. Shenandoah University and Chapman University bestowed honorary doctorates on him. He has experience in over 50 countries, and served on committees advising HHS, DoD, and Department of Commerce. John has received the Andrew Craigie Award, Gloria Francke Leadership Mentor Award, ASHP Award for Sustained Contributions to the Literature, Pinnacle Award, and many others, including those from Rho Chi, Phi Lambda Sigma, and ISMP. He chairs the board of Pharmacy Leadership & Education Institute, is vice president of American Institute of History of Pharmacy, and is past national president of Phi Delta Chi. John and his lovely wife, Laurie, have four wonderful children and a rescue dog, each fully vaccinated.