Christopher J.L. Murray Receives 2025 James and Sarah Fries Prize for Improving Health
The CDC Foundation today announced that Christopher J.L. Murray, MD, DPhil, received the 2025 James and Sarah Fries Prize for Improving Health. Murray is honored for his pioneering work as a physician and health economist, which has transformed public health by developing new analytic methods for identifying and prioritizing health issues, resulting in more impactful policies and interventions globally.
The James and Sarah Fries Prize for Improving Health award was presented this afternoon at the American Public Health Association’s (APHA) annual meeting, which is taking place in Washington, D.C. The award recognizes an outstanding leader who is making major contributions to the improvement of public health. It is intended for those who have done the most to improve health for the greatest number of people. The monetary award for the James and Sarah Fries Prize for Improving Health is $100,000.
“Dr. Murray’s work has given the global health community better tools to understand where disease burden is greatest and where interventions can have the most impact,” said Judy Monroe, MD, president and CEO of the CDC Foundation. “His leadership has reshaped how public health priorities are set and has improved health outcomes for millions of people around the world. We are proud to honor his extraordinary contributions with this year’s Fries Prize.”
Murray’s work has fundamentally changed how governments, health agencies and policymakers assess population health and allocate resources. He led the development of the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study, the largest and most comprehensive effort to quantify health loss across places and over time. This pioneering framework measures and compares health outcomes worldwide, providing evidence-based insights on key indicators such as life expectancy, disease and injury prevalence and health-related risk factors. The recently released GBD 2023 provides comprehensive tools to identify pressing health challenges, strengthen health systems worldwide and drive action toward a healthier future for everyone.
As founder and director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington, Murray leads an independent research institution that works with more than 17,000 collaborators around the world to develop timely, relevant and scientifically valid evidence that illuminates the state of health everywhere. IHME’s work aims to inform health policy and practice to achieve its vision of all people living long lives in full health.
Murray has authored hundreds of peer-reviewed articles and reports that have shaped public health strategies worldwide. His analytic frameworks have informed global priorities on maternal and child health, infectious diseases, noncommunicable diseases and health systems performance. His work continues to influence public health research, funding and policy at a global scale.
“Dr. Murray’s vision for a world where all people live long and healthy lives is matched only by his inspiring spirit,” stated Julio Frenk, MD, UCLA chancellor, who championed Murray’s nomination for the Fries award. “He truly endeavors to educate, enlighten and inspire those responsible for policy making and practice."
The James F. and Sarah T. Fries Foundation is a nonprofit corporation founded in 1991. The mission of the foundation is to identify and honor individuals, organizations or institutions that have made great contributions to the health of the public. The foundation seeks to reward accomplishment rather than promise, practicality rather than theory.
The CDC Foundation is honored to partner with the James F. and Sarah T. Fries Foundation, which established and funds the award. The CDC Foundation manages and administers the Fries Foundation’s public health award programs, which include the James and Sarah Fries Prize for Improving Health and the Elizabeth Fries Health Education Award.
Nominations and additional information for the James and Sarah Fries Prize for Improving Health are available on the Fries Awards for Health nomination page.