The American Geriatrics Society -

For Immediate Release
May 5, 2006

For more information:
Erin Weller
(212) 308-1414 x 329

For Groundbreaking Research into Improving End-of-Life Care, American Geriatrics Society Awards David Casarett, MD, AGS Outstanding Scientific Achievement for Clinical Investigation Award

Chicago, IL -- In recognition of his cutting-edge research aimed at improving end-of-life care for older adults, the American Geriatrics Society presented David Casarett, MD, with its 2006 AGS Outstanding Scientific Achievement for Clinical Investigation Award today at its annual scientific meeting.

"David has done so much innovative and important research in this field, and he continues to dazzle not only with his willingness to reexamine accepted "givens" but also with the ground-breaking methodology he uses to do so," said AGS President Jane Potter, MD, presenting Dr. Casarett with the award. "In the short time since he finished his fellowship training, David has published more than 60 studies, each charting new territory, and has never lost sight of his goal - improving end-of-life care."

The Outstanding Scientific Achievement award recognizes outstanding achievement in clinical research addressing health care problems of older adults by an investigator who is actively involved in direct patient care. The award takes into consideration independence of thought and originality in research.

An assistant professor in the division of geriatrics at the University Of Pennsylvania School Of Medicine, Dr. Casarett is also a senior fellow at the university's Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics and is on the faculty of the Philadelphia VA Medical Center's Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion. He has won numerous other awards, including a coveted Beeson Scholars Award for aging research and key grants from foundations including the Hartford Foundation, the Greenwall Foundation, and the Commonwealth Fund.

Among other things, Dr. Casarett's research has adapted techniques used in market research to evaluate patient preferences regarding end-of-life care. It has broken new ground by developing novel interventions to improve end-of-life decision making. His work also explores the possibility of altering hospice care - care that focuses on relieving terminally ill patients' pain and other symptoms, rather than on high-tech, life-prolonging interventions - in fundamental ways to better meet patients' and families' needs. Following the award ceremony, Dr. Casarett delivered a lecture titled, "Is it Time to Redesign Hospice? Examining End-of-Life Care at the User Interface."

Founded in 1942, the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) is a nationwide, not-for-profit association of geriatrics health care professionals dedicated to improving the health, independence and quality of life of all older people. The society supports this mission through activities in: clinical practice; professional education on the clinical care of older people; research; public education and information; public policy efforts; and through collaborative relationships with other organizations. For more information about AGS programs and initiatives, visit the AGS Web site at www.americangeriatrics.org.