Toxicology group honors Benitez
John Benitez, M.D., MPH
Benitez researches acute and chronic poisoning and the epidemiology of poisoning and is the managing director of the Tennessee Poison Center. He is being recognized for his work evaluating residents near Kingston, Tenn., following a significant coal ash spill from a Tennessee Valley Authority power facility in December 2008.
“This was a great way to collaborate with many agencies and help the people impacted by this disaster,” Benitez said. “Very little is known of the toxicologic consequences of many disasters; this work will help provide a model for how evaluations in the future could be done with the assistance of medical toxicologists and will help them prepare ahead of time in averting or mitigating such disasters from occurring.”
He will receive the award in March at the society’s 51st annual meeting in San Francisco, where he will also present a lecture on his research.