MSAA Announces New Chief Medical Officer

CHERRY HILL, N.J., July 17, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) is proud to announce a new Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for the organization. Barry A. Hendin, a highly accomplished neurologist who specializes in MS, has assumed the role. Preceding Dr. Hendin was Jack Burks, MD, a clinical professor of neurology for the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine at the Florida International University of Miami, who provided decades of service to MSAA and the MS community.

Dr. Hendin currently practices medicine at Phoenix Neurological Associates, Ltd., where he has been a neurologist for the past 45 years. He also holds the position of director of the Multiple Sclerosis Clinic at Banner University Medical Center and is a clinical professor of neurology at the University of Arizona Medical School. Prior to Dr. Hendin’s appointment as CMO, he also presented at several of MSAA’s patient educational programs.

“On behalf of MSAA, I would like to thank Dr. Jack Burks for his dedication, incredible work, and service to the MS community,” said MSAA’s President & CEO, Gina Ross Murdoch. “I would also like to offer a warm welcome to Dr. Barry Hendin, who will be a wonderful asset to MSAA as our chief medical officer, based on his extensive knowledge and experience as well as his unwavering commitment to those affected by MS. We look forward to working together to further expand MSAA’s mission of improving lives today for the entire MS community.”

Dr. Hendin earned his undergraduate degree at Washington University and his Medical Doctorate (MD) degree at Washington University Medical School. To date, he has had more than 15 clinical appointments to various medical facilities – many of which were at the Good Samaritan Hospital, where he served as chief of neurology for 35 years. He has had seven academic appointments, largely at Washington University Medical School and Arizona Medical School. He has been a member of five societies, including the American Academy of Neurology, where he was a Fellow Member (a formal distinction recognizing special achievement) and has also been presented with more than a dozen honors and awards, including several for his outstanding work as a teacher.

For further questions, please contact Kaitlyn Gallagher, Public Relations & Marketing Coordinator at (800) 532-7667, ext. 122 or via email at kgallagher@mymsaa.org.

About MSAA
The Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) is a national nonprofit organization and leading resource for the entire MS community, improving lives today through vital services and support. MSAA provides free programs and services, such as: a Helpline with trained specialists; award-winning publications, including MSAA’s magazine, The Motivator; MSAA’s nationally recognized website, featuring award-winning educational videos and research updates; S.E.A.R.C.H.™ program to assist the MS community with learning about different treatment choices; a mobile phone app, My MS Manager™ (named one of the best multiple sclerosis iPhone & Android apps by Healthline.com); a resource database, My MS Resource Locator®; safety and mobility equipment products; cooling accessories for heat-sensitive individuals; educational programs held across the country; MRI funding; My MSAA Community, a peer-to-peer online support forum; a clinical trial search tool; and more. For additional information, please visit www.mymsaa.org or call (800) 532-7667.

About Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease of the central nervous system (CNS), which consists of the brain, optic nerves, and spinal cord. MS damages or destroys the protective covering (known as myelin) surrounding the nerves of the CNS, and can potentially injure the nerves as well. This damage causes reduced communication between the brain and nerve pathways. Common MS symptoms include visual problems, overwhelming fatigue, difficulty with balance and coordination, depression and cognitive issues, and various levels of impaired mobility. The prevalence of multiple sclerosis is estimated at nearly one million people nationwide and most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 50. MS is not contagious and researchers continue to look for both a cause and a cure.    

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SOURCE Multiple Sclerosis Association of America