V37 N2 / 2022 ©2022 American Medical Writers Association. All rights reserved. ISSN 2163-5315 AMWAJournal.org 47 The John P. McGovern Award is named in honor of John P. McGovern and is presented to a member or nonmember of AMWA to recognize a preeminent contribution to any of the various modes of medical communication. The McGovern Award is presented during AMWA's Medical Writing & Communication Conference. The American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) is pleased to recognize preeminent contributions to the var- ious modes of medical communication through the John P. McGovern Award. The AMWA president presents the McGovern Award, named in honor of renowned allergist and philanthropist John P. McGovern, MD, during its annual Medical Writing & Communication Conference. It is an honor to name Peter J. Hotez, MD, PhD, an inter- nationally recognized physician–scientist, global health advocate, accomplished author, and 2022 Nobel Peace Prize nominee, as this year’s John P. McGovern Award recipient. Considered a pioneer in his field, Dr Hotez is an expert in neglected tropical diseases, global health, and vaccinol- ogy. Based in Houston, Texas, he is the founding Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine and is a Professor of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine. In addition, he is a University Professor at Baylor University and is the Co-Director of Texas Children's Hospital’s Center for Vaccine Development. Dr Hotez has a passion for developing new interven- tions for global diseases of poverty, developing vaccine diplomacy–communicating science, and combatting rising antiscience sentiment, and his passion is reflected by many prestigious awards, roles, and honors. He holds the Endowed Chair in Tropical Pediatrics at Texas Children’s Hospital, for example, and served as a US Science Envoy during President Barack Obama’s administration. He is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine and American Academy of Arts and Sciences. I first met Dr Hotez in 2017 when I served as president of AMWA’s Southwest Chapter. I had the honor of present- ing Dr Hotez with the chapter’s John P. McGovern Award in recognition of his research and vaccine development. Since then, his advocacy for health equity among underserved populations, continued work on vaccines and COVID-19, and passion for commu- nicating science have con- tinued to resonate with medical communicators. Dr Hotez’s scientific publications and advo- cacy have addressed treat- ment needs for millions of underserved populations afflicted with neglected tropical diseases around the world. He has co-led efforts to develop new “antipoverty” vaccines for neglected tropical diseases, including a new recombinant protein COVID-19 vaccine for global health. His contribu- tions to the field of medical communication include more than 650 peer-reviewed journal articles and 5 single-author books, such as his most recent and timely Preventing the Next Pandemic: Vaccine Diplomacy in a Time of Anti-Science. His other books include Blue Marble Health: An Innovative Plan to Fight Diseases of the Poor Amid Wealth and Vaccines Did Not Cause Rachel’s Autism (Johns Hopkins University Press); the latter publication is Dr Hotez’s personal reflection on his journey as a pediatrician, vaccine scientist, and father of an autistic child. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr Hotez has regu- larly appeared on national platforms to educate the world on vaccines and to address the spread of misinformation. His research on coronaviruses began a decade prior to the pandemic. Through this knowledge and diplomacy, he has become a regular contributor and trusted source to media outlets such as CNN, NBC News, CBS News, ABC News, NPR, and The Washington Post. I will be honored once again to present a much-deserved award to this leader in medical communication on behalf of the entire AMWA membership as we gather on November 2-5 in Denver, Colorado, for this year’s conference. Together, we will extend our sincere congratulations and gratitude as Dr Hotez joins an esteemed group of McGovern Award recipients at the national level as AMWA’s 2022 John P. McGovern Award recipient. Katrina R. Burton, BS / 2021-2022 AMWA President 2022 John P. McGovern Award Recipient: Peter J. Hotez, MD, PhD AMWA NEWS http://www.amwajournal.org