An author whose books have won literally dozens of awards, and two of his books have involved him directly in policy-making. The National Academies of Sciences named The Great Influenza: The story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History (2004), his study of the 1918 pandemic, the year’s outstanding book on science or medicine, and he was a member of the initial working group which developed recommendations for pandemic preparedness and response.
He also served on the federal government's Infectious Disease Board of Experts and has advised the private sector as well as federal, state, and World Health Organization officials on influenza preparedness and risk communication.