The Edward Jenner Medal is awarded occasionally by the Royal Society of Medicine to individuals who have undertaken distinguished work in epidemiological research.
The award was founded in 1896 by the Epidemiological Society of London (1850–1907) to commemorate the centenary of Edward Jenner’s discovery of a means of smallpox vaccination. The Epidemiological Society became a founder member of the Royal Society of Medicine in 1907.
The medal was designed in Bronze by Allan Wyon. It features Jenner’s face on one aspect and the symbol of the Epidemiological Society, the Earth, on the reverse. The medal was re-cast following the evolution of the Society into the Section of Epidemiology at the RSM in 1907. Photographs of the medal may be found in The History of the Royal Society of Medicine published in 2001.
It was first awarded to Sir William Henry Power who was the then Medical Officer for London and had formulated the theory of aerial conveyance of smallpox and chaired the Royal Commission on Tuberculosis.
Recipients include: