Dr. Jürgen Rehm is a distinguished senior scientist and internationally recognized authority in addiction epidemiology and public health policy research. He currently serves as Senior Scientist in the Institute for Mental Health Policy Research at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto, where he also leads the Ontario Data Laboratory. Concurrently, he holds the position of Professor and inaugural Chair of Addiction Policy at the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health, while maintaining appointments in the Department of Psychiatry and the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation. His career spans decades of impactful research bridging epidemiological science with practical policy applications, establishing him as a leading figure in global substance use research.
Dr. Rehm's groundbreaking work has fundamentally shaped the understanding of alcohol-, tobacco-, and other drug-related harms through rigorous epidemiological analysis and population-level data. His innovative research methodologies for quantifying the burden of substance use disorders have been adopted by international health organizations including the World Health Organization, where he serves on the Expert Advisory Panel on Drug Dependence and Alcohol Problems. His pioneering studies examining the complex interactions between socio-economic status, poverty, and substance use have transformed how policymakers approach health inequalities in addiction treatment and prevention. This work has garnered significant recognition, including the prestigious Jellinek Memorial Award in 2003, considered the most important global award in alcohol research, and the European Addiction Research Award in 2017.
As a highly cited researcher consistently ranked in the top 1% of his field from 2009 to 2020, Dr. Rehm has significantly influenced global health policy through his extensive consulting work for governments across Europe, North America, and Thailand, as well as international bodies including the European Union, World Health Organization, and World Bank. His leadership extends to heading the Epidemiological Research Unit at Technische Universität Dresden and serving as Senior Scientist at the PAHO/WHO Collaborating Centre for Mental Health & Addiction. Dr. Rehm continues to advance the field through his current research on socioeconomic inequalities in alcohol-related health outcomes and the development of evidence-based interventions to reduce substance-related harm. His ongoing commitment to translating scientific evidence into practical policy solutions ensures his continued influence in shaping a more effective, equitable approach to addiction prevention and treatment worldwide.
