U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta this week named the five medical experts who will serve on the new Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA’s) Medical Review Board (MRB).

FMCSA is planning updates to physical qualification regulations of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers and the board will provide the necessary science-based guidance to establish realistic and responsible medical standards.
Each medical professional brings specialties to support FMCSA’s agenda:
• Dr. Gunnar Andersson, senior vice president for Medical Affairs, Rush University Medical Center, and professor and chair of Orthopedic Surgery;
• Dr. Michael Greenberg, associate director for Medical Toxicology, Drexel University College of Medicine and director of the Medical Toxicology Fellowship Program;
• Dr. Kurt Hegmann, director and associate professor of Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine at the University of Utah;
• Dr. Barbara Phillips, chair of the National Sleep Foundation and professor at the University of Kentucky College of Health in the Department of Preventive Medicine; and
• Dr. Matthew Rizzo, professor of Neurology at the University of Iowa College of Medicine.
Board members are appointed to a two-year term and are eligible for reappointment based on FMCSA’s needs at the time. Criteria for appointment includes medical expertise in a medical specialty, an understanding of research methods, knowledge of transportation medical issues, experience on panels that develop medical standards, a record of scientific collaboration, professional service and experience developing teaching programs.