Holly Fernandez Lynch receives the 2026 Bernard Lo, MD Award in Bioethics from the Greenwall Foundation

Holly is an internationally recognized expert in the bioethical dimensions of FDA law and policy, and her research explores the many important tradeoffs arising in the context of fatal diseases with no good treatment options. Holly has spoken to the “dual nature” of FDA’s decision making: the agency’s decisions must be informed by safety and efficacy data but also require value judgments about competing goods and interests. These tradeoffs – in the face of disease severity and unmet need – can spark substantial disagreement. 

Such disagreement is exemplified by the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patient advocacy community, in which diverse individuals are working – and often stridently disagreeing – about how best to pursue treatment, prevention, and cure. Some advocates speak of the “ALS clock.” This is shorthand for how little time they have to effectuate change and save their own lives. 

Some of Holly’s work — particularly her work on “Right to Try” — has been controversial with the ALS community and, unfortunately, given rise to criticism and personal attacks. To her credit, Holly hasn’t run away but has instead reached out to engage community members. Since 2019, she has worked in collaboration with ALS advocates on relevant issues through a mix of traditional bioethics scholarship; engagement with regulators, policymakers, and working groups; and allyship.

Holly has shared her time and deep expertise with this community while learning from their perspectives and lived experience. As many of us know, her work has opened lines of communication, improved the community’s understanding of the importance of strong FDA standards, helped it sharpen policy positions, and strengthened the legal landscape through avoidance of problematic statutes and refinement of novel approaches. At the same time, she has helped bring the perspectives and experiences of ALS patients and their caregivers to the policy and bioethics communities. Holly has developed durable and respectful collaborations and shares in the goal of ending to this terrible disease.

We are delighted that Holly’s outstanding work has been recognized with the Lo Award!  The Greenwall Foundation’s announcement (and a video from Holly discussing her work!) can be found here.