Joel Nobel
Joel J. Nobel, M.D Founder and President Emeritus, ECRI Institute. Joel Nobel founded ECRI, a 42-year old U.S. based nonprofit health services research organization. He developed ECRI's overall policies and programs, including its technology assessment, product evaluation, risk management, and technical assistance services. He created the concepts and operating plans for health devices, health devices alerts, the health devices sourcebook, the healthcare product comparison system, select and many other ECRI publications and services. He developed ECRI's international programs, its related World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre and offices in the United Kingdom to serve Europe, in Malaysia to serve the Asia-Pacific region, and in Dubai to serve the Arabic nations. He has personally directed different projects on the five continents. Dr. Nobel has testified before the U.S. Congress on proposed legislation, ranging from national telecommunications policy to medical device regulation, and has served as a consultant to many federal, voluntary, and international agencies, ministries of health and hospitals. Dr. Nobel received his BA degree with high honors from Haverford College, his MA degree in international relations from the University of Pennsylvania and his MD from Thomas Jefferson University Medical College. His neurosurgical residency was interrupted by military service as a medical officer in the U.S. Navy. He also served on a nuclear submarine.