Forbes January 26, 2026
Dr. William H. “Bill” Foege, M.D., a global health hero, died at his Atlanta home on Jan 24. He was 89. In 1966, as a 29-year-old CDC epidemiologist in Nigeria, he devised the vaccination strategy that ultimately led to the global eradication of smallpox – one of the world’s oldest and deadliest diseases. This success, nearly two centuries after British doctor Edward Jenner determined that inoculation with cowpox, a far milder virus, confers powerful immunity against the disease, is considered one of the most important achievements in public health history. Elimination of smallpox, which killed 300-500 million people in the 20th century alone (plus many more throughout history), proved that targeted, data-driven strategies can overcome massive health challenges.
Dr. Foege...
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