RAPS honors award recipients for contributions to healthcare product regulatory profession

The Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society (RAPS) today honored the recipients of its prestigious awards for outstanding contributions to the healthcare product regulatory profession. RAPS' Leonard Stauffer Award for mentoring and furthering regulatory professional education was given to independent consultant Nanci Dexter. RAPS' Global Leadership Award for contributions to worldwide development of the profession was awarded to Shy Shorer of the National Institutes of Health and RAPS' Special Recognition Award for unique contributions was bestowed upon Philipp Novales-Li of Novartis. Awardees were honored during the opening session of the 2009 RAPS Annual Conference & Exhibition in Philadelphia.

Each year, RAPS' awards pay tribute to outstanding regulatory professionals who have made significant contributions to the profession and to RAPS. Award winners are recognized by their colleagues for their hard work, dedication, leadership and accomplishments. The award recipients are nominated by their peers and selected by the RAPS Awards Committee.

The Leonard Stauffer Award recognizes exceptional contributions to mentoring and furthering regulatory professional education development including special achievements related to Regulatory Affairs Certification (RAC). Stuaffer Award recipient Nanci Dexter, MS, RAC, is an independent global regulatory affairs and quality assurance consultant. Her work experience over the past 22 years includes IVDs, biologics, pharmaceuticals and medical devices in both startup and large company environments. Dexter received the Leonard Stauffer Award in recognition of her efforts in establishing the RAC Study Group of the Rocky Mountain Regulatory Affairs Society (RMRAS).

The Global Leadership Award recognizes professionals who exemplify leadership and contributions toward development of the regulatory profession and toward increasing awareness of RAPS in societies and economies worldwide. Award recipient Shy Shorer, MD, MBA, RAC, is the director of the Office of Clinical Research Affairs, Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health. He received the Global Leadership Award in recognition of his role in advocating for RAPS and the Regulatory Affairs Certification (RAC) credential internationally.

The Special Recognition Award recognizes unique contributions and achievements of individuals and organizations that advance the quality of health and the regulatory profession. Award recipient Philipp Novales-Li, DMedSc, PhD, DPhil (Oxon), RAC, is a regulatory affairs scientist, specializing in medical devices and in vitro diagnostics. His work experience includes serving as associate director of regulatory affairs at Novartis, and previously, as manager of regulatory affairs at Abbott Diabetes Care and as director of regulatory and scientific affairs at BioGenex. An avid writer and researcher, Novales-Li received the Special Recognition Award for his efforts to share regulatory knowledge and provide mentorship to his peers, and for conducting research on regulatory topics and sharing the results with other regulatory and business professionals via publications and lectures.

Members of the working media who wish to cover all or part of the 2009 RAPS Annual Conference & Exhibition should send an email to RAPS Communications Manager Zachary Brousseau at [email protected]">[email protected] or may register on site by going to the press office in room 104A of the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Media must bring valid press credentials or a letter from an assigning editor on company letterhead.

Conference sponsors include: Anson Group, Boston Scientific, BSI Healthcare, Crimson/Transperfect, Elsevier Business Intelligence, GE Healthcare, Kendle, Prolifiq Software, Stericycle and Tarius.