Sep 21, 2009
MS Pioneer and First Chief Medical Officer of the National MS Society, Dr. Stanley van den Noort Passes Away
Dr. Stanley van den Noort, an internationally acclaimed leader in the field of neuroscience and one of the most distinguished researchers and clinicians in the field of multiple sclerosis, died Wednesday, September 16, at his home in Tustin. He was 79.
As a physician and researcher, he built one of the nation's most successful multiple sclerosis clinics. He also served as the Society’s first Chief Medical Officer and Chair, Medical Advisory Board for the National MS Society between 1997 and 2001. His death came as a result of complications from a brain injury he suffered over two years ago.
During his years at the Society, Dr. van den Noort was the chair of the Clinical Care Committee for more than 20 years and in that role was the driving force in establishing the Society’s Clinical Affiliations Program, which now offers comprehensive MS care through more than 130 MS centers.
He was also the impetus behind the Society establishing its initial Disease Management Consensus position statement in 1998 at the time the new disease modifying drugs were coming on stream. He helped attain agreement from the members of our Medical Advisory Board, a group of over 70 world renowned specialists in the field of MS, about the importance of beginning treatment with a disease modifying therapy upon receipt of a confirmed MS diagnosis. This document became the cornerstone for securing insurance coverage of the new therapies and advanced the new ideology of the need for early proactive treatment of the disease.
He co-authored in 1999 one of the seminal guides on MS called “Multiple Sclerosis in Clinical Practice,” published by Demos. Dr. van den Noort conducted early research into the immune aspects of MS and was involved in developing clinical practice guidelines on the use of disease-modifying drugs for MS for the AAN. He was a co-author of the first re-casting of diagnostic criteria for MS that had occurred in 30 years, which has become one of the most-cited papers ever on the topic (McDonald criteria). He also wrote a paper on ethical issues of using unproven therapies in MS and other neurological disorders.
Dr. van den Noort was a leader in identifying abnormal antibody responses in the brain and spinal cord in MS, and was able to bring together experts in molecular biology and immunology in order to focus new technologies in these areas for studying mechanisms of destruction of the nervous system in MS. His work provided important new insights into the mechanisms that lead to damage in the nervous system in MS and therefore brought us closer to learning how to prevent this disease.
Dr. van den Noort was published extensively in his field, and received an impressive array of honors and distinctions, both locally and nationally. His most important contributions were to medical education and patient care - he was greatly loved by his patients. "I don't know how to spend 15 minutes per patient," said van den Noort in a Dartmouth alumni magazine interview. It was normal for him to spend over an hour with patients because he so respected them.
Dr. van den Noort was born Sept. 8, 1930 to Judokas and Hazel van den Noort in Lynn, Massachusetts. His father, a high school history teacher and an immigrant from Holland, encouraged him to do well in school. Stanley graduated from Dartmouth College in 1951 and received his medial degree from Harvard Medical School in 1954. He completed his residency training at Boston City Hospital, where he was senior resident to the neurological unit. Dr. van den Noort then served for two years as an officer in the US Navy.
After 10 years with Case Western Reserve in Cleveland, Dr. van den Noort joined the staff the newly established College of Medicine at the University of California, Irvine in 1970 as professor and chair of neurology. From 1973 through 1985 he served as dean of the UCI College of Medicine, overseeing an unprecedented era of growth. Subsequently he continued as professor and chairman of the Department of Neurology until returning to his clinical practice full time.
In 2008 Dr. van den Noort was the recipient of the UCI Medal, the campus's highest honor. "Dr. van den Noort was a truly outstanding clinician and scholar who provided the finest of compassionate care to his many patients," says Dr. Ralph V. Clayman, dean of the UCI School of Medicine. "His considerable contributions to our medical school and UCI in general will remain with us always."
Dr. van den Noort married the love of his life, June Byers LeClere, in April 1954. They had five children and celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in Paris with their children and grandchildren. Dr. van den Noort is survived by his wife June; his children Susanne, Eric, Peter, Kathy and Betsy; his grandchildren Aren, John, Jennifer, Melissa, Stephanie, Riley, Tory and Will; and his great grandchild Alex.
His family has asked that donations be made in his honor to the following : The van den Noort Multiple Sclerosis Clinical Program, Fund No. 3042; the van den Noort Neurology Chair's Research Endowment, Fund No. 7152; and to the National MS Society.