David Charles (physician)

David Charles
Born
Decatur, Alabama, U.S.
EducationVanderbilt University School of Medicine
Years active1995–present
Known forParkinson's Disease research
Medical career
ProfessionPhysician
InstitutionsVanderbilt University Medical Center
Sub-specialtiesNeurology
ResearchMovement disorders

David Charles is an American neurologist and professor who serves as vice-chair of neurology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.[1]

Education

David Charles attended Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, graduating in 1990. After completing his neurology residency at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, he joined the faculty of the Department of Neurology at Vanderbilt University in 1994.[1][2] From 1994 to 1995, he was a fellow in Movement Disorders and Clinical Neurophysiology at Vanderbilt.[1][2] In 1996, he completed the Health Care Management Program at the Owen Graduate School of Management.[1] In January and May 1997, he completed the Harvard Macy Institute's Program for Physician Educators.[3] In 1998, he studied deep brain stimulation and its use as a treatment for Parkinson's disease as a Fulbright Senior Scholar at the Universitaire de Grenoble in Grenoble, France.[4]

Professional activities

Charles is a past chairman of the Public Policy Committee of the American Neurological Association,[5] a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology[6] and a Fellow of the American Neurological Association,[7] and a past board member of the United Council of Neurologic Subspecialties.[8] From 1997 to 1998, he was a Health Policy Fellow on the staff of the Labor Subcommittee for Public Health and Safety, United States Senate.[1]

At Vanderbilt he serves as vice-chair of neurology, and previously served as the assistant dean of admissions for the medical school and the Neurology Residency Program Director.[9]

Alliance for Patient Access

Charles is also the chair of the Alliance for Patient Access,[1] which, according to The Wall Street Journal, "represents physicians and is largely funded by the pharmaceutical industry. The contributors mostly include brand-name drug makers and biotechs, but some – such as Pfizer and Amgen – are also developing biosimilars."[10]

In a 2013 opinion article, Charles argued that high out-of-pocket costs for specialty drugs could prevent patients from filling prescriptions and increase other healthcare costs. He described specialty drugs as including individualized medications based on diagnostic testing and biologic medicines, and proposed reducing co-pays for patients who require high-cost specialty-tier medications while slightly increasing co-pays for commonly used lower-tier medications.[11]

Research

Charles's research is primarily focused on movement disorders including Parkinson's disease, cervical dystonia, tremor, spasticity, and neurotoxin injections.[12][13] Charles has led clinical research investigating deep brain stimulation in people with early-stage Parkinson's disease.[3][14][15]

One focus of Charles's movement-disorders research has been deep brain stimulation (DBS) for Parkinson's disease. In a 2021 interview with Neurology Today, Charles described the 2016 United States approval of DBS for mid-stage Parkinson's disease as "one of the biggest advances" in the field. He stated that "the data are very clear that DBS plus medicine is superior to medicine alone in controlling symptoms and improving quality of life in mid- and advanced-stage disease."[16] Charles was also a co-author of "Subthalamic Nucleus Deep Brain Stimulation May Reduce Medication Costs in Early Stage Parkinson's Disease."[17]

He has authored over 100 research publications[18] and has served as principal investigator of a clinical trial investigating deep brain stimulation in people with early-stage Parkinson's disease.[1][19]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "David Charles, MD, Professor and Vice-Chair". Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
  2. 1 2 "David Charles, MD". International Neurotoxin Association. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  3. 1 2 "David Charles, MD". The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  4. ↑ "P Charles". Fulbright Scholar Program. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  5. ↑ "Public Policy Committee - American Neurological Association". Archived from the original on December 27, 2010. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  6. ↑ "David Charles". American Academy of Neurology. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  7. ↑ "David Charles". American Neurological Association. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  8. ↑ "Vanderbilt Department of Neurology - David Charles, M.D". Mc.vanderbilt.edu. 2016-03-09. Archived from the original on 2016-06-09. Retrieved 2016-05-25.
  9. ↑ "Department of Neurology". VUMC. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  10. ↑ Silverman, Ed (15 August 2014). "Physician Groups Side With Big Drug Makers Over Biosimilar Names". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  11. ↑ Charles, David (13 November 2013). "Making high-value specialty drugs affordable will save lives and reduce healthcare costs". The Hill. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  12. ↑ "Vanderbilt University School of Medicine". Medschool.mc.vanderbilt.edu. Archived from the original on 2012-11-15. Retrieved 2016-05-25.
  13. ↑ "Hacker and Charles Research Lab". VUMC. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  14. ↑ "DBS treatment may slow tremor progression in early-stage Parkinson's patients". Vanderbilt University Medical Center. 29 June 2018. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  15. ↑ "Inside the brain: Transforming Parkinson's". Action News 5. 17 February 2026. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  16. ↑ Kreimer, Susan (2021). "Then and Now: 20 Years of Monumental Strides in Movement Disorders". Neurology Today. 21 (19): 8–10. doi:10.1097/01.NT.0000797984.85450.f1.
  17. ↑ Hacker, Mallory; Currie, Amanda; Molinari, Anna; Turchan, Maxim; Millan, Sarah; Heusinkveld, Lauren; Roach, Jonathon; Konrad, Peter; Davis, Thomas; Neimat, Joseph; Phibbs, Fenna; Hedera, Peter; Bryne, Daniel; Charles, David (30 March 2016). "Subthalamic Nucleus Deep Brain Stimulation May Reduce Medication Costs in Early Stage Parkinson's Disease". Journal of Parkinson's Disease. 6 (1): 125–131. doi:10.3233/JPD-150712. PMC 4927876. PMID 26967937.
  18. ↑ Search Results for author Charles PD on PubMed.
  19. ↑ Clinical trial number NCT00282152 for "Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) for Early Stage Parkinson's Disease (PD)" at ClinicalTrials.gov
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