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Dr. John A. Clements, a preeminent figure in pulmonary science who deciphered critical lung functions in the 1950s and subsequently developed a groundbreaking drug to treat lung failure in newborns, passed away at his home in Tiburon, California. He was 101 years old.
His passing was confirmed by his daughter, Carol Clements.
Dr. Clements’ groundbreaking work began shortly after his graduation from Cornell University Medical College (now Weill Cornell Medical College) while serving as an Army physiologist. He was fascinated by the mechanics of human respiration, particularly how the tiny alveoli in the lungs managed to stay open upon exhalation.
Determined to solve this mystery, Dr. Clements discovered a crucial substance, which he identified as a surfactant, akin to detergents, that helps reduce surface tension in the air sacs, allowing them to remain inflated. This discovery was first documented in a 1956 publication where he outlined the presence and function of surfactants in the lungs using a rudimentary device he constructed.
His seminal research significantly advanced in 1959 when he advised two Harvard researchers. Their collaborative efforts revealed that this surfactant was missing in premature infants suffering from respiratory distress syndrome (R.D.S.), which was then a leading cause of neonatal death in the United States, claiming around 10,000 lives annually during the 1960s.
This epidemic of infant deaths included notable cases such as Patrick Bouvier Kennedy, son of President John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy, who was born prematurely and succumbed to R.D.S. shortly after birth in 1963.
Driven by these findings, a global initiative emerged to develop a treatment for R.D.S. While some researchers explored animal-derived surfactants, Dr. Clements directed his efforts toward creating a synthetic alternative. His dedication led to the development of the first synthetic surfactant, which was later licensed to Burroughs Wellcome & Company and approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1990 under the name Exosurf.
Although subsequent research showed that animal-derived surfactants were more effective, Dr. Clements’ pioneering synthetic surfactant marked a significant advancement in neonatal care, dramatically reducing infant mortality rates from R.D.S. to fewer than 500 deaths annually in the United States.
In recognition of his monumental contributions, Dr. Clements received the prestigious Albert Lasker Clinical Medical Research Award in 1994, which he humbly donated to UNICEF.
Born on March 16, 1923, in Auburn, New York, Dr. Clements was the youngest of four children. His parents nurtured his early passion for science, which saw him constructing various experiments from a young age, including a homemade Tesla coil. After completing an accelerated Army-funded program at Cornell, he dedicated his career to medical research and education.
Dr. Clements continued his influential work well into his 90s, maintaining an active presence at the University of California, San Francisco, where he mentored countless medical professionals and researchers.
His legacy is survived by his two daughters, Carol and Christine Clements, and remembered by the many lives he saved through his medical innovations.
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