News

Gold Headed Cane Awarded to One Health Initiative Team Member

Dr. Bruce Kaplan receiving the 2012 American Veterinary Epidemiology Society (AVES) Gold Headed Cane Award from Dr. Charles Thoen, AVES President as Dr. Georgette Wilson (Hartz Mountain Corp. director of Scientific and Regulatory Affairs) and Mr. Armando Rios, Jr. (Hartz Mountain Corp. Animal Health Category Manager) look on during the North American Veterinary Conference in Orlando, Florida (USA) on January 20, 2013.

The award is in recognition of Dr. Kaplan’s achievements in the advancement of One Health—maximizing the collaboration of human, animal and environmental professionals to achieve optimal health for humans.  He has been actively engaged in food safety and infectious disease epidemiology in the United States, and is a global adviser for One Health efforts and collaborations. :: Bruce Kaplan Biography ::

Bruce Kaplan, DVM and his One Health colleagues of the One Health Initiative team, Laura H. Kahn, MD, MPH, MPP, Thomas P. Monath, MD, Jack Woodall, PhD and Lisa Conti, DVM, MPH are the managers and creators of the One Health Initiative website www.onehealthinitiative.com.  The One Health Initiative team is comprised of two physicians, two veterinarians and one PhD health-research scientist, i.e. Drs. Kahn, Monath, Kaplan, Conti, and Woodall, respectively.

"Inaugurated by the American Veterinary Epidemiology Society (AVES) in 1964, the Gold Headed Cane Award was approved as an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) award by the Executive Board in 1996 and is sponsored by Hartz Mountain Corporation, Secaucus, NJ (USA). The award recognizes the achievement of an individual concerned with animal health who has significantly advanced human health through the practice of veterinary epidemiology and public health. Dr. James H. Steele established the award to recognize the outstanding contributions of veterinarian, physician and scientist, Dr. Karl F. Meyer. Originally named the K.F. Meyer Gold Headed Cane Award, it was renamed the K.F. Meyer-James H. Steele Gold Headed Cane Award in 1985 to recognize Dr. Steele for his outstanding contributions to epidemiology and veterinary public health. Today, this award is gaining in relevance and stature in concert with AVMA's and many other organizations' endorsement and development of the philosophy of One Health throughout the world."

Charles O. Thoen, DVM, PhD, the current President of AVES said, “Recipients of this award will join over 60 distinguished scientists in veterinary public health, human health and now One World, One Health, since Dr. Karl F. Meyer and Dr. James H. Steele founded AVES.”  Dr. Thoen was presented with the Gold Headed Cane Award in 2009 and is also a highly valued One Health leader, supporter and advocate.