Professor David Salisbury was Director of Immunisation at the Department of Health, London,
until 2014; he was responsible for the UK national immunisation programme. During that time,
he introduced numerous new vaccines, dealt with the MMR autism crisis, and advised other
governments and international organisations.
Professor Salisbury trained as a paediatrician at Oxford and at the Hospital for Sick Children,
Great Ormond Street, London. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, Fellow of the
Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, Fellow of the Faculty of Public Health, and Fellow
of the Academy of Medical Sciences. He has an honorary Chair at Imperial College, London
and is an Associate Fellow, Programme for Global Health, Royal Institute of International
Affairs, Chatham House, London. He is Chair of the Board of the Jenner Vaccine Foundation,
was inaugural President of the International Association of Immunisation Managers and is a
Board Trustee, Sabin Vaccine Institute, Washington, DC.
Professor Salisbury continues to work extensively with the World Health Organization on the
Global Programme for Vaccines and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. He was the Chair of
the WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Vaccines from 2005 to 2010.
Professor Salisbury was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the Queen’s Birthday
Honours, 2001, for his services to immunisation.