Ronnie Levin: Leading the Way in Global Health with Landmark Time 100 Recognition and Cost-Benefit Analysis Breakthrough

In a remarkable turn of events, Ronnie Levin, an instructor in the Department of Environmental Health at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, has been named one of the 100 most influential individuals in global health for 2024 by Time magazine. Her work on lead has made a significant impact and earned her a spot on the inaugural Time 100 Health list, published on May 2nd.

Levin’s collaborative effort with Joel Schwartz, a professor of environmental epidemiology and her husband, resulted in a cost-benefit analysis in 2023 that revealed that eliminating lead from drinking water could save the U.S. over $8 billion annually in health benefits and at least $2 billion in infrastructure costs. This figure significantly exceeded previous estimates by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Levin expressed her excitement about the EPA’s proposed rule but emphasized the importance of good implementation and enforcement to ensure its success.

Her work is a significant achievement for public health, and her contributions to the understanding and mitigation of lead exposure have been recognized on a global scale. Through her research and advocacy, she has played a crucial role in shaping policies that will ultimately protect the health and well-being of individuals across the United States.