Title: Director of Science Policy
Company: Pfizer, Inc.
Location: Groton, Connecticut, United States
Thomas Henry Althuis, PhD, Director of Science Policy at Pfizer, Inc., has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Scientists for dedication, achievements, and leadership in science policy.
Supported by nearly 35 years of professional excellence in science policy and pharmaceuticals, Dr. Althuis most recently served as the director of science policy for Pfizer, Inc. in New York City and Pfizer Global Research & Development in Groton, Connecticut between 1992 and 2001. Joining Pfizer in 1968 as a research scientist in their Center of Research in Groton, he was promoted to senior research scientist in 1974 and senior associate of public affairs in 1980. From there, he became the manager of public affairs in 1981, assistant director of public affairs within the Corporate Public Affairs Division in 1982 and director of science policy affairs in the Corporate Public Affairs Division in 1983, a role he held until 1991.
During his tenure with Pfizer, Dr. Althuis also served as a professional staff member and science consultant to the Science and Technology Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, D.C., in which he organized hearings on the Food and Drug Administration’s process for approving new drugs under a Congressional Science Fellowship from the American Chemical Society. Throughout his career, he has written 23 policy publications regarding the contributions of innovative new drugs for the treatment of allergies, diabetes, respiratory diseases and analgesic agents. He has also produced and manned Pfizer’s exhibition on penicillin at the University of Oxford’s “Penicillin 50” Exhibition in their Bodleian Library in 1991. Notably, Dr. Althuis was the first individual to hold a full-time position with Pfizer dealing with science policy.
An inventor of more than 20 U.S. patents for pharmaceutical agents, Dr. Althuis has also co-authored “Drugs Affecting the Respiratory System” in 1980 and “Orphan Drugs” in 1982, alongside more than 30 articles to professional scientific journals. He is an elected fellow of the American Institute of Chemists and Connecticut United for Research Excellence (CURE), for whom he sat on the board of directors. Demonstrating versatility in his profession, he is also the president and founder of the Groton Historical Association, in which he promotes the historic village of Groton Bank, Connecticut. Most honorably, he was elected two terms to the Groton Town Council between 1971 and 1975 and was a member of the City of Groton Republican Committee from 1973 to 1978.
To remain abreast of developments in the field, Dr. Althuis chaired the government affairs committee and sat on the board of directors of the American Institute of Chemists, having also sat on the committee on chemical and public affairs of the American Chemical Society. Presently, he serves as a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, New York Academy of Sciences, New York Science Policy Association and Americans for Medical Progress.
In his spare time, Dr. Althuis enjoys sailing and studying local history. He has authored popular articles on sailing in Soundings Magazine and on local history published in various newspapers and the Connecticut History Journal. He is also a talented musician, having formerly played the oboe and English horn for the Kalamazoo Symphony between 1959 and 1965. He holds a Bachelor of Science in secondary education and chemistry and a Master of Arts in chemistry, both from Western Michigan University, as well as a Doctor of Philosophy in organic chemistry from Michigan State University. He studied under a pre-doctoral fellowship with the National Institutes of Health and a Dow summer fellowship, both in 1967.
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