Joseph Risser MD, MPH

Joe Risser is a Preventive Medicine Physician with an MPH in biostatistics. His lifelong interest in clinical research began as an undergraduate, collecting crayfish in Hawaii streams. Dr. Risser has conducted over 50 Phase I to IV FDA sponsored clinical trials and published more than a dozen investigator-initiated papers. Under the auspices of CMS, San Diego Family Care opened one of the first pharma-sponsored trials center in an FQHC. Twelve years later, they have worked with most major pharma companies to bring new therapies and diagnostic testing to an underserved community. All study participants are FQHC patients who have been the true beneficiaries as demonstrated by significant improvements in control of blood sugar among diabetics, oxygenation in COPD, lipid profiles in hypercholesterolemia, and others. The improvements have continued long after a trial ended. A CMS evaluation committee recommended FQHC participation in clinical trials be added to Best Practices guidelines.