Arnold William Klein (February 27, 1945 – October 22, 2015) was an American
dermatologist
Dermatology is the branch of medicine dealing with the skin.''Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary.'' Random House, Inc. 2001. Page 537. . It is a speciality with both medical and surgical aspects. A dermatologist is a specialist medica ...
.
[
In the infancy of the ]AIDS
Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual ma ...
epidemic, Klein became one of the first doctors in Los Angeles to diagnose a case of Kaposi's sarcoma in a young patient. He also worked closely with American pop musician Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the " King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over ...
, diagnosing him with discoid lupus erythematosus
Discoid lupus erythematosus is the most common type of chronic cutaneous lupus (CCLE), an autoimmune skin condition on the lupus erythematosus spectrum of illnesses. It presents with red, painful, inflamed and coin-shaped patches of skin with a sc ...
and vitiligo
Vitiligo is a disorder that causes the skin to lose its color. Specific causes are unknown but studies suggest a link to immune system changes.
Signs and symptoms
The only sign of vitiligo is the presence of pale patchy areas of depigmen ...
and supplying him with over 200 shots of demerol, aiding his addiction, starting in the mid-1980s.
Early life and education
Klein was born on February 27, 1945, in Mt. Clemens, Michigan, the son of a Jewish Orthodox rabbi. He was raised in Michigan and North Miami, Florida
North Miami is a suburban city located in northeast Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, about north of Miami. The city lies on Biscayne Bay and hosts the Biscayne Bay Campus of Florida International University, and the North Miami camp ...
, graduating from North Miami High School
North Miami Senior High School (NMSHS) is a public high school in North Miami, Florida, United States. Located at 13110 NE 8th Avenue, The school opened as Edward L. Constance Junior-Senior High School in 1951; with 1,500 students in 7th, 8th and ...
in 1963.
In 1967, Klein earned his bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to si ...
in biology from the University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a Private university, private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest- ...
. He attended the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
The Perelman School of Medicine, commonly known as Penn Med, is the medical school of the University of Pennsylvania, a private research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1765, the Perelman School of Medicine is the oldest medi ...
, earning his Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine (abbreviated M.D., from the Latin ''Medicinae Doctor'') is a medical degree, the meaning of which varies between different jurisdictions. In the United States, and some other countries, the M.D. denotes a professional degree. ...
degree in 1971. He completed an internship at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is a nonprofit, tertiary, 886-bed teaching hospital and multi-specialty academic health science center located in Los Angeles, California. Part of the Cedars-Sinai Health System, the hospital employs a staff of over ...
in Los Angeles and his residency in dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of California at Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California ...
(UCLA). In 1975, he served as Chief Resident in Dermatology at UCLA.
Career
Klein was an unpaid, volunteer professor of Medicine and Dermatology at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine.
Klein was an outspoken critic of the misuse of prescription drug
A prescription drug (also prescription medication or prescription medicine) is a pharmaceutical drug that legally requires a medical prescription to be dispensed. In contrast, over-the-counter drugs can be obtained without a prescription. The r ...
s, toxins, and certain synthetic dermal fillers, including ArteFill. He was responsible for the FDA giving Allergan's Botox
Botulinum toxin, or botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT), is a neurotoxic protein produced by the bacterium '' Clostridium botulinum'' and related species. It prevents the release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine from axon endings at the neuromus ...
a black box warning. Klein was named a consultant to the FDA. He died on October 22, 2015 at the age of 70 at the Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, California.
Michael Jackson
Klein served as the dermatologist for Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the " King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over ...
. Following Jackson's death, Klein claimed to be a sperm donor, but stated that he did not believe he was the biological father of Jackson's children. However, Klein had multiple health problems such as multiple sclerosis
Multiple (cerebral) sclerosis (MS), also known as encephalomyelitis disseminata or disseminated sclerosis, is the most common demyelinating disease, in which the insulating covers of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord are damaged. This ...
, which would've prevented him from donating sperm as sperm donors are not allowed to donate if they have genetic disorders or other medical concerns.
Board memberships
In August 1985, Klein joined the board of the National AIDS Research Foundation (NARF). A month later, the Foundation merged with the AIDS Medical Association and are now known as amfAR
amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research, known until 2005 as the American Foundation for AIDS Research, is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the support of AIDS research, HIV prevention, treatment education, and the advocacy of ...
.
, Klein was also a member of the Advisory Board of the AIDS Services Foundation Orange County, now known as Radiant Health Centers.
Over the next two decades, they additionally established the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation
Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011) was a British-American actress. She began her career as a child actress in the early 1940s and was one of the most popular stars of classical Hollywood cinema in the 1950s. ...
and Art for AIDS in Orange County.
In 2007, Klein founded The Elizabeth Taylor Endowment for the UCLA CARE Center, a facility that focuses on advancing HIV/AIDS research and treatment. In the November 2008 issue of L'Uomo Vogue
''Vogue'' is an American monthly fashion and lifestyle magazine that covers many topics, including haute couture fashion, beauty, culture, living, and runway. Based at One World Trade Center in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan, ''V ...
, in an article related to AIDS in Africa, it was reported that Klein and the organizations which he founded have raised in excess of $274 million for HIV research and care.
Klein served as a trustee to various boards of directors, some of which included the Jennifer Jones-Simon Foundation and The Hereditary Disease Foundation
The Hereditary Disease Foundation (HDF) aims to cure genetic disorders, notably Huntington's disease, by supporting basic biomedical research.
History
In 1968, after experiencing Huntington's disease (HD) in his wife's family, Milton Wexler wa ...
. Klein, alongside his friend Frank Gehry
Frank Owen Gehry, , FAIA (; ; born ) is a Canadian-born American architect and designer. A number of his buildings, including his private residence in Santa Monica, California, have become world-renowned attractions.
His works are considered ...
, helped the foundation to raise funds and awareness for inherited diseases.
Klein also co-founded the Rose Tarlow-Arnold W. Klein Breast Cancer Foundation at UCLA which provides breast cancer treatment for individuals who are unable to afford it.
Honors and awards
He received numerous awards and honors including Who's Who in the World, Best Doctors in America, Men of Achievement, AIDS Services Foundation of Orange County, Award of Merit, Los Angeles Magazine, The Best of L.A., Los Angeles Business Journal, 10 Masters of Medicine in Los Angeles, Haney Scholar, University of Pennsylvania, Inaugural Visiting Professor in Cosmetic Dermatology, Harvard School of Medicine, Inaugural Visiting Professor in Cosmetic Dermatology, University of Vermont, Measey Scholar, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia Foundation Fellow, Public Health Service Post – Doctoral Fellow, and Top Doctors of America.
In 2004, Klein was given a chair in his name at the UCLA Division of Dermatology.
Death
Klein died on October 22, 2015, at Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, California
Rancho Mirage is a city in Riverside County, California, United States. The population was 17,218 at the 2010 census, up from 13,249 at the 2000 census, but the seasonal (part-time) population can exceed 20,000. Incorporated in 1973 and locate ...
.
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Klein, Arnold
1945 births
2015 deaths
American dermatologists
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania alumni
People from Mount Clemens, Michigan
Jewish American scientists
People from North Miami, Florida
21st-century American Jews