Helen Brooke Taussig: Pediatric Cardiology Leader and Innovator

Dr Helen Taussig was a pioneer as a woman in academic medicine and as a leader in pediatric cardiology. She was the second woman promoted to Professor at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, although her promotion and recognition occurred much later than her achievements warranted. The development of treatment of congenital heart defects was hastened by her careful observations as a clinician and her collaboration with Dr Alfred Blalock and other specialists. Dr Taussig received recognition not only for her pioneering work but also for her advocacy, which led to the Food and Drug Administration not permitting use of thalidomide in the United States and her leadership and election to president of the American Heart Association. She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1964.