In Memoriam of Howard Brody, MD (CHM '76), PhD | 1949-2024

July 29, 2024

Howard Brody, MD (CHM ’76), PhD, died at his home in Knoxville, Tenn., July 22, 2024, at the age of 75.

Dr. Brody was a pioneer in the field of medical ethics and served as the director of the MSU College of Human Medicine Center for Ethics and Humanities in the Life Sciences from 1985-2000.

A compassionate family practice physician, Dr. Brody was professor for many years in the College of Human Medicine. He researched and wrote extensively, particularly on the complex topics of end-of-life care, the placebo effect, and the pharmaceutical industry. He was invited to lecture on medical ethics in several countries across the world. His work has been translated into six languages.

In 2006, Dr. Brody joined the faculty of the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Texas, where he served as director of the Institute for the Medical Humanities through 2016.

Dr. Brody earned three degrees from MSU, including his bachelor’s degree, his medical degree from the College of Human Medicine and a PhD in philosophy. After completing his family medicine residency at the University of Virginia, he returned to MSU to join the College of Human Medicine faculty.

The recipient of many awards, Dr. Brody received the MSU College of Human Medicine Distinguished Faculty Award and the Michigan State University Distinguished Faculty Award. He served as president of the Society for Health and Human Values and chaired the Michigan Commission on Death and Dying. He was elected to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences in 1995. In 2009, Dr. received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities.

Read the full obituary of Howard Brody here.