Joan Benson MD, MPH

Executive Director, Global Vaccines Policy Strategy & Partnerships
Merck & Co. Inc.
Joan Benson

Joan leads evidence-based policy strategy and strategic partnerships for MSD Global Vaccines, working with global public health leaders and stakeholders to ensure sustainable global access to MSD’s diverse portfolio including HPV, pneumococcal, pediatric, Ebola and pipeline vaccines. She has extensive experience engaging with country governments and global health organizations, including WHO, Gavi, UNICEF, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Clinton Health Access Initiative and PATH.

Joan is passionate about expanding access to the company’s vaccines for all people who need them around the world. She is motivated to help achieve global health equity through access to vaccines and vaccination, and by supporting global public health agendas, including the Immunization Agenda 2030 and elimination of HPV-related diseases, starting with cervical cancer.

From 2020-2021, Joan was IFPMA Gavi working group representative to the Gavi Program & Policy Committee. Prior to joining MSD, she was a practicing physician and worked at the Stamford Public Health Department in Connecticut. With more than 25 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, Joan has held several positions in Pharmacovigilance, Medical Affairs and the MSD Company Foundation as co-lead for MSD partnership on HIV/AIDS with the Government of Botswana and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. 

Joan holds a degree in Medicine from the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria and a master’s degree in Public Health from Harvard University.

In the United States and Canada MSD is known as Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE: MRK)

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