Catherine Peckham Explained

Catherine S. Peckham (King) FFPHM^[1] is a British paediatrician.

Peckham was the first Professor of Paediatric Epidemiology in the UK, and established the Centre for Paediatric Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the UCL Institute of Child Health, University College London.^[2] ^[3] The Peckham Lecture is given each year at the Institute of Child Health.^[4]

Life

Peckham was born in London, the daughter of Alexander King, and spent her early years in the USA. She was educated at St Paul's Girls' School^[5] and at University College London. She was married to Sir Michael Peckham.

Medical career

As a clinical epidemiologist Peckham is best known for her work on infections in pregnancy, particularly rubella, cytomegalovirus^[6] and HIV, and their impact on the fetus and developing child. She showed that rubella damage caused by exposure to maternal infection during pregnancy could continue after birth.^[7] She worked on the early rubella vaccine trials and was instrumental in setting up the National Congenital Rubella Surveillance Programme.^[8] ^[9]

In 1986 she founded the multi-centre European Collaborative Study (ECS) on HIV in mothers and children with Carlo Giaquinto.^[10] ^[11] ^[12] ^[13] She was instrumental in establishing the national surveillance of HIV infection in pregnancy and childhood.^[14] Her study of vaccination for infectious diseases in childhood was published by Action Research as the Peckham Report in 1989.^[15] In 1986 she co-founded the British Paediatric Surveillance Unit.^[16] From 2005 to 2007 she chaired the Scientific Coordinating Group for the Government's Foresight Programme on the Future Challenge of infectious Diseases.^[17]

Peckham has been closely involved in national birth cohort studies^[18] and the influence of biological, social and environmental factors in early life on later development has been a central theme in her work.^[19]

Awards and honours

CBE for services to child health, 1998
Harding Award for the prevention of child disability, 1993
20th Anniversary Award for Leadership in HIV Child Care, Terence Higgins Trust, 2002
James Spence Medal, Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, 2003
Founder Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences, 1998

National and international positions

Chair, Positive Action for Children Fund, 2010–^[20]
Chair, Medical Research Council Review of Gulf War Related Illness^[21]
Vice-President of Fonds de Solidarite Therapeutique Internationale 1998–2000^[22]
Chair, WHO Epidemiological Research and Forecasting, Global Programme on Aids, 1991–94
Member then vice-chair, Nuffield Council on Bioethics, 1999–2006^[23]
Chair, Medical Research Council Human Fertilization and Embryology Working Group on children conceived by Assisted Reproduction, 2004^[24]
Chair, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists' Working Party on Termination of Pregnancy for Fetal Abnormality (2008/9)^[25]
US-UK Fulbright Commissioner, Fulbright Commission 1986–1994)
non-executive director, Advertising Standards Authority 1993–1999
Vice-Chair, Board of Governors St Paul's Girls' School London, 1993–2006
Governor of St Paul's School
Member of Council, Institute of Education 1999–2007

Notes and References

Web site: Prof Catherine Peckham, CBE Authorised Biography – Debrett's People of Today, Prof Catherine Peckham, CBE Profile . Debretts.com . 28 July 2012.
Web site: catherine-peckham . University College London . 14 October 2004 . 28 July 2012.
Web site: Our history and structure . 15 February 2012 . 4 March 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120304220126/http://www.ucl.ac.uk/ich/research-ich/mrc-cech/about-us/history . dead .
Web site: The 2011 Peckham Lecture . 15 February 2012 . 3 March 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120303224013/http://www.ucl.ac.uk/ich/research-ich/mrc-cech/MRCCECH-news/peckham-lecture-2011 . dead .
Web site: St Paul's Girls' | London – Inner (London postal codes) . Guide to independent schools . 28 July 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120102231530/http://www.guidetoindependentschools.com/schools/view/469/St-Paul-s-Girls-/GSA/St-Paul-s-Girls-School-Brook-Green-London-W6-7BS . 2 January 2012 . dead .
Cytomegalovirus Infection in Pregnancy: Preliminary Findings From A Prospective Study . The Lancet . 28 July 2012 . 10.1016/S0140-6736(83)92138-4 . 6134135 . 321 . 8338 . 1352–1355. 1983 . Peckham . Catherines. . Coleman . Johnc. . Hurley . Rosalinde . Kong Shin Chin . Henderson . Kathy . Preece . Philipm. . 12597118 .
Catherine S. Peckham . Archives of Disease in Childhood . 47 . 254 . 571–577 . 1 August 1972 . 10.1136/adc.47.254.571. 5046774 . 1648297 .
BMJ . 318 . 7186 . 769–770 . 10.1136/bmj.318.7186.769. 10082699 . 1999 . Tookey . P. A. . Peckham . C. S. . 27790 .
Web site: NSHPC Home Page . University College London . 28 July 2012.
Web site: CV Dr. Carlo Giaquinto . Medkeik.info . 28 July 2012.
Original TextThe European Collaborative Study 1 . Mother-To-Child Transmission of Hiv Infection . The Lancet . 28 July 2012 . 10.1016/S0140-6736(88)90063-3 . 332 . 8619 . 1039–1043. 1988 . 54348316 .
10.1056/NEJM199508033330507 . 7596375 . 333 . 5 . Mother-to-Child Transmission of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus . New England Journal of Medicine . 298–303. 1995 . Peckham . Catherine . Gibb . Diana .
Web site: HIV: European Collaborative Study on HIV-infected pregnant women and their children . University College London . 28 July 2012.
Antenatal Testing For Human Immunodeficiency Virus . The Lancet . 28 July 2012 . 10.1016/S0140-6736(89)92045-X . 2574370 . 334 . 8677 . 1442–1444. 1989 . Davison . C.F. . Hudson . C.N. . Ades . A.E. . Peckham . C.S. . 44624057 .
Book: Peckham, Catherine A.. The Peckham Report: National Immunisation Study : Factors Influencing Immunisation Uptake in Childhood. 26 June 1989. Department of Paediatric Epidemiology, Institute of Child Health. 9780900931376 . 26 June 2022. Google Books.
Web site: BPSU. RCPCH. 26 June 2022.
Web site: Foresight. Infectious Diseases: preparing for the future. Executive Summary. Office of Science and Innovation. London. 2006.
A national study of child development (NCDS 1958 cohort). Preliminary findings in a national sample of 11-year-old children . 24 May 2012 . 1645076 . 4741414 . 66 . 7 . Proc. R. Soc. Med. . 701–3 . Peckham . CS.
Web site: Understanding science: 12: Human Reproduction: Selecting for Life: Scientific Basis and Policy Implications . University of Cambridge . 28 July 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110218094137/http://www.cam.ac.uk/about/scienceseminars/reproduction/postnatal.html . 18 February 2011 . dead .
Web site: Board Members . ViiV Healthcare . 28 July 2012 . dead . https://archive.today/20130205191307/http://www.viivhealthcare.com/community/positive-action-for-children-fund/board-members.aspx?sc_lang=en12 . 5 February 2013.
Web site: Department of the Official Report (Hansard), House of Lords, Westminster . Lords Hansard text for 6 Nov 200606 Nov 2006 (pt 0002) . Parliament of the United Kingdom . 28 July 2012.
Web site: Place et rôle du Fonds de solidarité thérapeutique international . Pistes.fr . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303234844/http://www.pistes.fr/transcriptasesud/6_113.htm . 2016-03-03.
Web site: Research in developing countries – About the Working Party | Nuffield Council on Bioethics . Nuffieldbioethics.org . 28 July 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120524031953/http://www.nuffieldbioethics.org/research-developing-countries/research-developing-countries-about-working-party . 24 May 2012.
Web site: Medical Research Council – Document library . Mrc.ac.uk . 18 November 2004 . 28 July 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130104032257/http://www.mrc.ac.uk/Utilities/Documentrecord/index.htm?d=MRC002393 . 4 January 2013.
Web site: Termination of Pregnancy for Fetal Abnormality in England, Scotland and Wales | Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists . Rcog.org.uk . 25 June 2010 . 28 July 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120201201105/http://www.rcog.org.uk/termination-pregnancy-fetal-abnormality-england-scotland-and-wales . 1 February 2012.