Charles E. Leonard, PharmD, MSCE, MPH, FISPE

Dr. Leonard is an Associate Professor of Epidemiology in the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics at the Perelman School of Medicine. He serves as a faculty and Executive Committee member for the Center for Real-World Effectiveness and Safety of Therapeutics (CREST); faculty and Advisory Committee member of the Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (CCEB); senior fellow for the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics (LDI); and a member of the Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology (CEET)—all at Penn. Dr. Leonard is a Special Government Employee of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and an Honorary Lecturer at the Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences in Tanzania.

As a pharmacoepidemiologist with extensive expertise in post-market prescription drug safety, causal inference methods, and real-world evidence (RWE) generation, Dr. Leonard is recognized for his work in the comparative safety of medical products among vulnerable populations. He has presented his transdisciplinary work to clinical and scientific audiences at national and international conferences; federal regulators and policymakers at FDA, the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, AHRQ, and CDC; colleagues at universities and institutes across the globe; and clinical decision support stakeholders at health information technology firms.

Dr. Leonard’s scientific contributions aim to generate RWE and close knowledge gaps in the following major areas of post-market prescription drug safety: 1) population health effects of drug interactions; 2) comparative safety of antidiabetes drugs; 3) prescription drug-induced sudden cardiac arrest; 4) the untoward effects of ambient temperature extremes on the health of persons with chronic disease; and 5) methods development in pharmacoepidemiology. His research is principally funded by the National Institutes of Health.

In the Media

2026 – “Access to air conditioning is critical preventive care” (STAT). Additional coverage by KFF Health News, Gene Online, and the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics.

2026 – “Risk for diabetes rises in climate-vulnerable communities” (Medscape)

2026 – “New metabolite signature may help predict risk for T2D” (Medscape)

2026 – “Low eGFR not associated with DKA risk in T1D” (Medscape)

2025 – “Climate change is worsening diabetes worldwide” (Yale Climate Connections). Additional coverage by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction.

2025 – “Overlooking climate change impacts may affect diabetes treatment in India” (Mongabay)

2025 – “Rising temps, rising risks: How climate change impacts diabetes” (University of Pennsylvania)

2025 – “Are patients undergoing surgery for early-stage cancer at risk of persistent opioid use?” (American Association for the Advancement of Science)

2024 – “Why federal LIHEAP benefits should expand to pay for cooling” (Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics)

2024 – “Everyone should have air conditioning during heat waves, especially people with chronic conditions” (The Patriot News)

2024 – “Air pollution exposure may be associated with eczema” (American Association for the Advancement of Science). Additional coverage in SciTechDaily.

2023 – “Extreme heat and cold put people with type 2 diabetes at risk for dangerous health conditions” (Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics). Additional coverage by Yahoo News, The Cool Down, and Medical Daily.

2021 – “Muscle relaxants and chronic pain a dangerous mix” (Pharmacy Practice News)

2020 – “Long-term muscle relaxant use nearly triples in the US” (Medscape). Additional coverage in Medpage Today, Philly Voice, Penn Today, News-Medical.net, and McKnight’s Long-Term Care News.

2019 – “Dr. Charles Leonard, Abraham G. Hartzema distinguished lecture in pharmacoepidemiology” (University of Florida)

2019 – “Dangers and protections of rising temps for people on common medicines” (Penn Today). Additional coverage by Newswise, MedicalXpress, and the University of Pennsylvania.

2018 – “Cardiac risks lower with glyburide vs other sulfonylureas” (Endocrine Today). Additional coverage by Medical Professionals Reference.

2017 – “Study design offers promise for drug safety research” (UPI). Additional coverage by ScienceDaily.

2014 – “Potassium supplements may help some heart failure patients” (US News & World Report). Additional coverage by Medscape, American Association for the Advancement of Science, ScienceDaily, US Pharmacist, RxWiki News, and Penn Today.

2014 – “Potassium supplements for users of loop diuretics?” (New Engl J Med CardioExchange)

Recent Awards and Honors

2026 – Chair’s Distinguished Faculty Spotlight Award | For scholarship epitomizing synergies across epidemiology, biostatistics, and informatics to promote health, science, and education | Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics | Perelman School of Medicine

2024 – Harold I. Feldman Distinguished Scholar Award | For exemplifying high quality, collaborative, and impactful scholarship | Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics | Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania

2024 – Faculty Teaching Award | For innovative contributions to curriculum development, excellence in classroom teaching, development of novel approaches to teaching and personal qualities of student mentoring | Graduate Group in Epidemiology and Biostatistics | Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania

2024 – Ronald D. Mann Best Paper Award | Senior author of Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety‘s ‘paper of the year’ as determined by the Editors and societal delegates | International Society for Pharmacoepidemiology

2023-2025 – Irene Trowell-Harris Scholarship | Yale University

2020 – Leadership Medallion | For promoting the recognition and value of specialized training, knowledge, and skills in pharmacy | Board of Pharmacy Specialties

2020 – Elected Fellow | International Society for Pharmacoepidemiology

2019 – Abraham G. Hartzema Distinguished Lecturer in Pharmacoepidemiology | For an eminent scholar using big data to evaluate drug safety in real-world populations | University of Florida

Contributions to Policy and Clinical Guidance

Dr. Leonard’s research contributes to policy and clinical guidance by generating RWE used to evaluate medication safety and comparative effectiveness in chronic disease. His work on antidiabetic therapies has clarified cardiovascular and hypoglycemic risks of widely used treatments and is incorporated into evidence syntheses and health technology assessments (HTAs) informing treatment evaluation.

His studies of drug interactions further translate pharmacologic mechanisms into clinically meaningful risk estimates, supporting safer prescribing in routine care. Across these areas, his research contributes to the evidence base underpinning clinical guidance and policy evaluation through its integration into evidence syntheses, HTAs, and related decision frameworks.

Examples:

Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (Switzerland) – Health Technology Assessment of Antidiabetic Therapies: Cites Dr. Leonard’s work on the comparative safety of sulfonylurea-containing regimens, contributing to national-level evaluation of treatment effectiveness and risk.

International HTA Bodies (e.g., European HTA networks, national HTA agencies): Incorporate his studies on CV and hypoglycemic risks of antidiabetic therapies, informing comparative evaluations of widely used treatments across health systems.

American Diabetes Association (US) / European Association for the Study of Diabetes (Europe) – Evidence Base Supporting Consensus Statements on Glucose-Lowering Therapy: His research contributes to the broader RWE base on medication safety and effectiveness considered in international clinical guidance for diabetes management.

Comparative Effectiveness Reviews Informing Drug Policy (e.g., AHRQ Evidence-based Practice Centers, US): His pharmacoepidemiologic studies are included in evidence syntheses evaluating risks associated with antidiabetic therapies, supporting policy-relevant assessment of treatment strategies.

World Health Organization Expert Committee on Drug Dependence (ECDD) Technical Report (Global): Cites his pharmacoepidemiologic research as part of scientific evidence reviews informing international evaluation of medication effects and safety in global substance policy assessments.