DIA, (founded as the Drug Information Association), the premier professional community and knowledge exchange network for global health care product development, announced today the recipients of the Global Inspire Awards. The Awards combine recognition of those individuals who have provided outstanding contributions to advancing global health with volunteer service awards that honor exceptional leadership, commitment to service, and advancement of DIA’s mission.

The DIA Global Inspire Awards include the President’s Award for Outstanding Contribution to Global Health, the Excellence in Service Award, the Global Connector Award, and the Author of the Year Award.

2017 Global Inspire Award recipients are as follows:

President’s Award for Outstanding Contribution to Global Health for significant and innovative contributions toward advancing global health, which transcends geographic boundaries, and supports DIA’s global mission:

• PATH
  A leader in global health innovation, PATH is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to saving lives and improving health, especially among women and children. PATH works in more than 70 countries, reaching an average of 150 million people a year. From their earliest days working in reproductive health and family planning, PATH has quickly expanded to work on vaccines, drugs, diagnostics, devices, and system and service innovations that address every major global health challenge.

Excellence in Service Award for the “member of the year” who has consistently provided outstanding service as a DIA volunteer, contributing to the advancement of DIA’s mission:

• Ning Xu, M.D., Executive Vice President, Head of Clinical Development and Regulatory Affairs, Zai Lab, LTD
  Dr. Xu is currently the Executive Vice President and Head of Clinical Development and Regulatory Affairs at Zai Laboratory. Dr. Xu has 25 years of experience in drug clinical development, and has been the Chairman of the Advisory Council of DIA China and DIA Global Board of Director from 2011 to 2015. Dr. Xu got his MD from Peking Union Medical Colleague and MBA from the University of Illinois at Chicago

The Global Connector Award for meritorious service through a leadership role that has advanced the mission of DIA and promoted global collaborations:

• William Wang, PhD, Exec. Dir., Clinical Safety Risk Management Statistics, BARDS, Merck & Co. Inc.
  Dr. Wang has 24 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry. During his 17-year tenure at Merck, he has led the establishment of Merck’s Asia-Pacific biometrics operation (2007-2014). Since 2012, Bill has served on the DIA China Advisory Committee and Global Community Leadership Council. He is currently a deputy topics-leader in the ICH E17 working group on MRCTs.

Author of the Year for the author or group of authors whose article made the greatest impact on readership, as determined by the most downloads in the preceding TIRS issue year:

• Dr. William Breslin and the HESI DART (Co-Chair Jane Stewart), “Birth Control in Clinical Trials: Industry Survey of Current Use Practices, Governance, and Monitoring”
  Dr. Breslin is an internationally recognized expert in reproductive and developmental toxicology, with extensive experience in general toxicology. He has held leadership positions, directing regulatory, scientific, and laboratory operations for nonclinical safety assessment in the pharmaceutical (18 yrs. at Eli Lilly and Co.), chemical (12 yrs. at Dow Chemical Co.) and contract research (2 yrs. at MPI Research) industries. Dr. Breslin is currently President/Owner of Breslin Toxicology Consulting, LLC.

“It is our honor to celebrate these exceptional DIA members whose contributions best exemplify the forward thinking our industry needs to advance global health,” said Barbara Lopez Kunz, Global Chief Executive, DIA. “I extend my personal appreciation and congratulations to the award recipients for their exceptional leadership, commitment to service, and contributions to the advancement of DIA’s global mission.”