During the 2025 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting, Richard Pazdur, MD, Director of the Oncology Center of Excellence at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), accepted the 2025 AACR Enduring Impact Award for Transformative Service to Cancer Science and Medicine and gave remarks during the meeting’s Opening Ceremony.
Richard Pazdur, MD
Award Recognition
The 2025 AACR Enduring Impact Award for Transformative Service to Cancer Science and Medicine recognizes Dr. Pazdur’s contributions to cancer science and medicine throughout his 25 years at the FDA—where he has led an era of progress that has improved outcomes among patients with cancer. The award celebrates the efforts of Dr. Pazdur and his team to expedite the development of novel cancer therapeutics and to establish integrated regulatory approaches that have enhanced the cross-center coordination of oncology product clinical reviews.
In addition to the new AACR award, Dr. Pazdur has received numerous awards and honors throughout his career: the Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society Patient-Centered Health Award (2021), the University of Chicago Cancer Research Foundation Simon M. Shubitz Cancer Prize and Lectureship (2020), the FDA Alumni Association Harvey W. Wiley Award (2019), recognition as one of OncLive’s Giants of Cancer Care (2019), the Reagan-Udall Foundation Innovations in Regulatory Science Award for Leadership (2018), the National Organization for Rare Disorders Rare Impact Award (2018), the American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics Gary Neil Prize for Innovation in Drug Development (2018), recognition as one of The Bloomberg 50 (2017), inclusion on Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center’s “the one hundred” list (2016), the AACR Distinguished Public Service Award (2015), recognition as one of the 50 World’s Greatest Leaders (2015), the LUNGevity Foundation Face of Hope Award (2015), the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship Public Service Leadership Award (2015), and the ASCO Service Recognition Award (2009).
Career and Achievements
Dr. Pazdur joined the FDA in 1999 as Director of the Division of Oncology Drug Products in the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. In 2005, he led the consolidation of divisions that reviewed drugs and therapeutic biologics for cancer and hematologic malignancies into the Office of Hematology and Oncology Products, which was reorganized to become the Office of Oncologic Diseases in 2019. Dr. Pazdur currently serves as Acting Director of the Office of Oncologic Diseases.
During his tenure at the FDA, Dr. Pazdur has worked to adapt the agency to and usher in the era of modern cancer therapeutics, including targeted therapies, immune checkpoint inhibitors, and adoptive T-cell therapies. His leadership has contributed to the FDA approval of over 200 cancer therapeutics in the past 25 years.
By convening cancer experts from across the FDA under the auspices of the Oncology Center of Excellence, Dr. Pazdur has improved communication, efficiency, and productivity in the review and regulation of novel cancer therapeutics for the benefit of researchers, drug developers, oncologists, and patients. Programs and projects spearheaded by the Oncology Center of Excellence have included Project Optimus, an initiative to reform the dosage optimization and dosage selection paradigm in oncology drug development; and Project Livin’ Label, an educational initiative aimed at fostering a broader understanding of the associated oncology product label and increasing awareness of recent oncology drug FDA approvals in the cancer community.
Prior to joining the FDA, Dr. Pazdur served as Professor of Medicine at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and on the faculty of Wayne State University. He earned his undergraduate degree at Northwestern University and MD at the Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. He has published more than 800 articles, book chapters, and abstracts, as well as two medical oncology textbooks.
“Dr. Pazdur is an inspiring and visionary leader whose steadfast commitment to innovation on behalf of patients has revolutionized the cancer field,” highlighted Margaret Foti, PhD, MD (hc), Chief Executive Officer of the AACR. “During a period of rapid change and remarkable advances in cancer treatment, his contributions to ensuring timely approval of safe and effective cancer therapies have saved many thousands of lives. The AACR is extremely proud to honor his quarter century of service for the American people.”
Margaret Foti, PhD, MD (hc)
Patricia M. LoRusso, DO, PhD (hc)
“Dr. Pazdur has been a phenomenal mentor throughout his entire career, both during his time in academia and while at the FDA,” underscored Patricia M. LoRusso, DO, PhD (hc), President of the AACR. “On a personal level, I was fortunate and honored during my medical oncology training to have Dr. Pazdur as my fellowship director from 1986 through 1990, as it was his mentorship that planted the seed for my career in clinical and translational drug development. Later, he helped establish the FDA-AACR Oncology Educational Fellowship, an outstanding program training fellows and junior faculty in regulatory and policy aspects of drug development. We are thrilled to recognize the impact of his leadership on generations of cancer researchers—and the field of cancer research as a whole—with this richly deserved award,” she concluded.
