He was commissioned by the UK from 2018–2019 to lead planning for the National Health Service's future workforce, integrating genomics, digital medicine, and artificial intelligence.
This is in addition to his role as principal investigator for the Scripps hub of the National Institutes of Health’s Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) Program, aimed at promoting innovation in medicine and future medical researchers' education and career training.
[citation needed] Topol departed from the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine in 2006 following the removal of the chief academic officer position, and continued at Case Western Reserve University.
[9] At the University of Virginia, Topol authored his baccalaureate thesis in 1975 entitled “Prospects for Genetic Therapy in Man” and received a Bachelor of Arts degree With Highest Distinction.
During his fellowship at Johns Hopkins, he was involved with the first patient who was administered tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) in 1984, a genetically engineered protein.
[11] This effort led to many discoveries in the genetics of cardiovascular disease, including the identification of key genes associated with heart attacks.
He was the principal investigator of the National Institutes of Health's Specialized Centers of Clinically Oriented Research grant on the genomics of heart attack with a $17M award in 2005.
"[13] He was the first physician to serve on CardioNet's Medical Advisory Board in 1999, the first dedicated digital medicine company that performs real-time remote, continuous electrocardiogram rhythm monitoring.
In 2007 he joined the Board of Sotera that has developed the first continuous non-invasive blood pressure monitoring device, which also captures all vital signs.
His report suggested that within ten years most patients would be managing their own long-term conditions with wearable devices and sensors, and that that would be much more effective than occasional appointments with a doctor.
"[18] Topol also authored an editorial in the New England Journal of Medicine, arguing that "neither Merck nor the FDA fulfilled its responsibilities to the public" and encouraging a "full congressional review" of the situation.
[20] Topol denied giving the hedge fund advance information, and subsequently severed his ties to industry, donating all such income directly to charity.
[17] In August 2020, Topol published an open letter in Medscape to FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn, criticizing his Emergency Use Authorizations of hydroxychloroquine, convalescent plasma, and remdesivir for COVID-19.
Topol wrote, "These repeated breaches demonstrate your willingness to ignore the lack of scientific evidence, and to be complicit with the Trump Administration's politicization of America's healthcare institutions.
In September 2020, Hahn tightened up the rules for approving a vaccine, requiring a longer follow-up period, leading to criticism from Trump.
"[27] Some argue that this delayed the approval of the Pfizer vaccine by around a month, with the Phase 3 trial endpoints being met on November 8, 2020, 5 days after the presidential election.
In 2011, Topol received the Hutchinson Medal from the University of Rochester in addition to giving the commencement speech for the School of Medicine and Dentistry.