Richard Besser, M.D.

About the Author

Dr. Richard Besser is ABC News’ Chief Health and Medical Editor providing medical analysis and commentary for all ABC News broadcasts and platforms, including “World News with Diane Sawyer,” “Good Morning America,” and “Nightline.” He also has appeared on ABC’s “The View” and “The Chew,” on ESPN, and many other news/entertainment programs. He received a 2011 Emmy nomination for “Outstanding Investigative Journalism,” for his “World News” story on Cord Blood Banking, and in 2013 won 2 Peabody Awards, along with the ABC News staff, for coverage of Hurricane Katrina and Robin Roberts’s health journey.

Since joining ABC News in 2009, Dr. Besser has been at the forefront of news coverage for every major medical story, including the earthquake in Haiti and the Japanese radiation release. He was the leading correspondent on ABC’s global health series, Be the Change, Save a Life. Dr. Besser came to ABC news from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), where he served as Acting Director for the CDC from January to June 2009, during which time he led the CDC’s response to the H1N1 influenza outbreak. Prior to that, he served as Director of the Coordinating Office for Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response. In that role, he was responsible for all of the CDC’s public health emergency preparedness and emergency response activities.