Charles Whitten, M.D.

The National Library of Medicine of the National Institutes of Health, the world’s largest medical library, announced recently the acquisition of the papers of Charles F. Whitten, M.D., distinguished professor of Pediatrics emeritus at the Wayne State University School of Medicine.

Dr. Whitten died in 2008.

An expert on sickle cell disease, Dr. Whitten spearheaded the National Association for Sickle Cell Disease, now known as the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America. As a major organizer of sickle cell programs, he developed educational materials and approaches to problems stemming from the disease, particularly the psychosocial support that afflicted patients needed.

“This is a wonderful recognition of the great life’s work of Dr. Whitten,” said Joseph Dunbar, Ph.D., associate vice president for research at WSU. “Dr. Whitten’s contributions have helped physicians and the research community take steps in understanding as well as managing the disease. Because of his efforts to spearhead national programs, patients with the disease and the community are better informed.”

Dr. Whitten served as chief of Pediatrics at Detroit Receiving Hospital, earning him the distinction of being the first African-American to head a department in a Detroit hospital. He was among the founders of the African Medical Education Fund that for more than 25 years offered financial assistance to any qualified African-American or African medical student who agreed to provide medical service in Africa.

Sickle cell disease affects millions of people worldwide and is the most common inherited blood disorder in the United States, affecting approximately 100,000 Americans. The disease occurs in approximately 1 in 500 African-Americans births.

“Dr. Whitten was a pioneer in the field of medical education,” said Robert Frank, M.D., former executive vice dean for the School of Medicine. “He founded the post baccalaureate program at Wayne State University School of Medicine, which was a national model for the inclusion of under-represented minority students in schools of medicine. Dr. Whitten revolutionized the curriculum at our School of Medicine, and was a personal mentor to many of our current medical educators.”

The post baccalaureate program led to Wayne State University leading the nation’s 125 medical schools (exclusive of Howard and Meharry) in the total number of African-American graduates from 1981 to 1997. One-third of them had entered through his program.

In addition to developing the post baccalaureate program in 1969, Dr. Whitten formed the Sickle Cell Detection and Information Center, the most comprehensive community program in the country.

Dr. Whitten, who served more than 40 years as a member of the School of Medicine faculty, served 16 years as associate dean for Curriculum before entering semi-retirement in 1993 as professor and dean emeritus.

“Dr. Whitten was best known for his pioneering work in sickle cell anemia screening and development of novel educational tools for teaching children and families with sickle cell anemia,” said Yaddanapudi Ravindranath, M.B.B.S., professor of Pediatrics and the Georgie Ginopolis Chair for Pediatric Cancer and Hematology at the School of Medicine, and co-director of the Division of Hematology/Oncology for Children's Hospital of Michigan. “His forceful advocacy paved the way for the routine newborn screening for sickle cell anemia in Michigan and later in the United States.”

Dr. Ravindranath said Dr. Whitten’s lobbying efforts on behalf of children with sickle cell anemia also helped push the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute to set up the comprehensive sickle cell center program. A pivotal contribution in toxicology was Dr. Whitten’s work at Children's Hospital of Michigan on acute iron poisoning and strategies for its treatment, which developed the standard of care to date.

Dr. Whitten received the School of Medicine’s inaugural Pathfinders in Medicine Award in 2000 for his contribution to equality and diversity in the medical community. That same year, Meharry Medical College named him its Alumnus of the Year.

The Black Medical Association has established the Charles F. Whitten Lifetime Achievement Award, which is presented annually. The first award went to Dr. Whitten. The Sickle Cell Disease Association of America presented him with a Legacy Award for his 21 years of service in that organization’s leadership. He also was honored with a Special Recognition Award from the Association of American Medical Colleges for his pioneering efforts in medical education and treatment.