An OICR senior investigator has been awarded one of Canada’s top civilian honours for his research on policies to reduce the negative health impact of tobacco products.

Dr. Geoffrey Fong was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada on Dec. 29, 2021, when the Governor General of Canada announced 135 appointments. The Order of Canada recognizes outstanding achievement and service to the nation.

Dr. Fong is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Waterloo and the Founder and Chief Principal Investigator of the International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project (ITC Project), which evaluates the impact of population-level tobacco control policies. His research has demonstrated the effectiveness of tobacco control measures like plain packaging for cigarettes and bans on menthol cigarettes, and his findings have informed tobacco control efforts in Canada and around the world. 

“I am humbled and honoured to receive this recognition, which is a tribute to our dedicated research team, who have worked together to evaluate and understand the impact of policies throughout the world,” Dr. Fong said.

“I am grateful for the support from OICR and other funding agencies, including the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and U.S. National Cancer Institute, which have allowed us to use our research evidence to strengthen and accelerate population-level action to tackle the number one preventable cause of cancer and non-communicable diseases more generally: tobacco smoking.”