Lowell T. Harmison papers

Collection

Identifier: HMD MS ACC 2015-042

Abstract

UNPROCESSED COLLECTION. Administrative files, photographs, awards and honors, research files, drafts and reprints of articles, motion picture films, audiocassette interviews; artificial organ prototypes; patents; and medical device blueprints documenting the career of heart surgeon, artificial organ inventor, and NHLBI administrator Dr. Lowell Harmison.

Dates

Creation: 1962-2010

Extent

178.84 Linear Feet (145 boxes + oversize + electronic records)

Creator

Harmison, Lowell T. (Person)

Physical Location

Materials stored offsite. Retrievals made last Friday of the month. Contact reesj@nlm.nih.gov for scheduling.

Language of Materials

Collection materials primarily in English

Access Restrictions

Unprocessed collection. Access is restricted. See Reference Librarian for information regarding access.

Copyright and Re-use Information

Donor's copyrights were transferred to the public domain. Archival collections often contain mixed copyrights; while NLM is the owner of the physical items, permission to examine collection materials is not an authorization to publish. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. It is the user's responsibility to research and understand any applicable copyright and re-publication rights not allowed by fair use. NLM does not grant permissions to publish.

Privacy Information

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Biographical/Historical Note

Harmison spent over 40 years at the forefront of medical research and public health, specializing in HIV/AIDS, heart disease, cancer and healthcare. During his renowned career, he has served as researcher, inventor, author, biotechnologist, U.S. government senior health advisor, executive-level advisor to health related foundations and corporate executive in private and public companies. His pioneering work in HIV/AIDS led to his developing and testing the first HIV/AIDS blood test for the U.S. Public Health Service. As a result of his landmark work, the FDA approved the first blood test in March 1985 for use by the American Red Cross to screen America's blood supply. As the Science Advisor to the U.S. Public Health Service and as innovator in the private biotechnology sector for more than 25 years, his work encompassed a decade of research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and a decade of service as the U.S. Public Health Service Science Advisor and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Health, Department of Health and Human Services. He served as a member of the U.S. Department Health and Human Services Vaccine Compensation Commission to help work out plans and strategies to address adverse events caused by vaccines. In 1969 While Dr. Denton Coley was making headlines by implanting a plastic total heart pump in his patient as a two-day bridge to transplantation, with all controls and power outside the body, Dr. Harmison made history by developing and testing the first completely implantable artificial heart in the world. He holds the first U.S. and foreign patent for this device.

Collection Summary

Administrative files, photographs, awards and honors, research files, drafts and reprints of articles, motion picture films, audiocassette interviews; artificial organ prototypes; patents; and medical device blueprints documenting the career of heart surgeon, artificial organ inventor, and NHLBI administrator Dr. Lowell Harmison.