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Dr.
Loretta P. Finnegan is Medical Advisor to the Director, Office of Research
on WomenÌs Health and Director, Community Prevention Study of the
WomenÌs Health Initiative, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute,
National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services
(DHHS). She also holds faculty appointments as Adjunct Professor of Pediatrics
and Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at the Jefferson Medical College
of Thomas Jefferson University. After completion of premedical studies at
Ursinus College in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, she received her medical degree
from Hahnemann University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Dr. Finnegan completed
a pediatric internship at Hahnemann University, a pediatric residency and
fellowship in neonatology at the Philadelphia General Hospital followed by
a position as Chief of the Newborn Services, University of Pennsylvania Division
at Philadelphia General Hospital. She then assumed a position at Thomas Jefferson
University, where she was founder and former Director of Family Center, a
comprehensive, multidisciplinary program for pregnant addicted women and
their children. As Professor of Pediatrics and Psychiatry and Human Behavior,
she directed a research program to delineate effects of and management for
perinatal addiction as well as assuming duties in education of medical students
and other allied health professions.
In 1990, Dr. Finnegan was appointed to the position of Associate Director of the Office of Treatment Improvement and Associate Director for Medical and Clinical Affairs of the Office for Substance Abuse Prevention, Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Mental Health Administration, DHHS. In 1992, she was appointed Senior Advisor on WomenÌs Issues, National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH and in 1994-1997 she served as Director, WomenÌs Health Initiative, Office of the Director, NIH.
Over the past few decades, Dr. Finnegan has authored or co-authored more than 150 scientific publications and has spoken at scientific conferences where she has given over 700 presentations on topics related to health issues in women and children. She has participated in international symposia and conferences or has been a visiting professor in 18 foreign countries. Her consultant activities have included activities with the Food and Drug Administration, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Maternal and Child Health, American Lung Association, March of Dimes, New York Academy of Medicine, and the State of California. She has served on the editorial boards of Advances in Alcohol and Substance Abuse and Developmental Pharmacology in Therapeutics and has been a reviewer for a number of other journals. Dr. Finnegan is a member of the Society for Pediatric Research, the American Pediatric Society, the College on Problems of Drug Dependence and the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology.
Over the past few decades, Dr. Finnegan has received funding for projects on pregnant opiate and cocaine dependent women and research projects on maternal/fetal effects of drug abuse. Her honors include awards for scientific exhibits presented by the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics. In addition she has received numerous other honors and awards including:
She has 3 honorary degrees, Doctor of Laws (Chestnut Hill College), Doctor of Science (Ursinus College), and Doctor of Science in Osteopathy (University of New England).
