Remembering Mark Beers, MD
Past President, AFAR

AFAR mourns the passing and celebrates the life of Mark Beers, MD, our esteemed past president and long time board member. Dr. Beers, who passed away February 28, 2009, was a tireless advocate for the support of aging research and junior investigators entering the field. He was instrumental in the creation of the Merck/AFAR Geriatric Pharmacology program, which provided two year fellowships for those with an interest in geriatric medicine and the role of clinical pharmacology as it related to the care of the aged.

Dr. Beers served as a dedicated member of the AFAR Board of Directors since 1997, providing leadership as a member of the Executive Committee from 1998-2006 and as president from 2005 – 2006. Most recently he served as chair of the AFAR Florida Affiliate chapter, established in Miami, Florida in 2008, where his leadership role was invaluable to AFAR Florida's success.

His hard work and unselfish devotion of time and energy helped establish the credibility of the study of aging and the work of AFAR and is a tribute to Dr. Beers and to his career in the field of geriatrics research, training, and clinical practice.