// February 12, 2015

In Memoriam: Former USP CEO Jerome A. Halperin

Obituary: Jerome Halperin
Contributors:

Jerome A. Halperin died Tuesday, February 10, 2015.

Touted as “a pharmacist among pharmacists” by Medscape, Halperin served as Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of USP from March 1990 to April 2000.

Jerry, as he was known affectionately by his colleagues, is remembered for his global vision and commitment to public health. He joined USP at a time of significant change in the global economy. In response to his vision of a world with “disappearing borders”, Halperin expanded USP’s horizons and built relationships that helped lay the groundwork for USP’s international expansion. Believing that USP could play a unique role in a globalizing economy, Halperin founded USP’s successful Visiting Scientist Program as a way to invest in a global future through training and shared expertise.  

Halperin brought to USP a wealth of experience in public health, industry and government. Prior to joining USP, he served 6 years in the pharmaceutical industry as Vice President-Technology for product development, clinical, regulatory affairs and quality assurance at CIBA Consumer Pharmaceuticals, a division of CIBA-Geigy, Inc. (now Novartis). He also served 25 years as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Public Health Service, retiring from government service in 1983 as Acting Director of the FDA's Office of Drugs in the combined National Center of Drugs and Biologics. 

Loved for his charisma, respected for his scholarship, Halperin’s career continued well into “retirement.” He served as President and CEO of the Food and Drug Law Institute (FDLI), a not-for-profit educational organization dedicated to advancing public health and was active on many boards. In 2001, the American Pharmaceutical Association named him the Remington Honor Medalist and that same year, he was honored with the Distinguished Service Award by the Drug Information Association.  

Halperin earned a BS in Pharmacy from Rutgers College of Pharmacy in New Jersey, a Master's degree in Public Health from The Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health, and a Master of Science in Management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He served as a member of the World Health Organization's Expert Advisory Panel on the International Pharmacopoeia and Pharmaceutical Preparations, and he was an Expert Member of the Board of Pharmaceutical Sciences of the International Federation of Pharmacy.

Jerome Halperin was an inspired leader and his legacy lives on at USP.