Introducing Our Chief Medical Officer

We are very pleased to welcome Charles B. Johnston, MD, FAAP as Chief Medical Officer of the Chion Foundation. Dr. Johnston is an Internal Medicine and Pediatric physician with a long-time interest in children and adults with unusual syndromes, including Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS). He was educated at the University of Chicago and the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago. He has extensive experience creatively solving the problems of complex diseases and coordinating the care of patients with complex diseases.

Prior to joining the Chion Foundation, Dr. Johnston was a concierge physician. In that role, he made time to truly listen to patients, advise, counsel, and reassure. He has the rare ability to understand the patient, understand the science, and synthesize the two into solutions that are not readily visible. His compassion for people, patients, and specifically children is obvious to anyone who spends any time with him. He believes that it is possible to weave science, relationships, and innovation into improved patient welfare.

Dr. Johnston describes his physician philosophy with the word CARE: Competence in the form of medical expertise. Advocacy in the form of intervening on the patients’ behalf in whatever ways are needed. Responsiveness to patients, physicians, and experts. Enhanced quality of life that grows from relationships, medical science, and intentional problem solving.

At Chion Foundation, Dr. Johnston will focus his attention first on PWS and the possibility that the new drug pitolisant can improve the quality of life of patients with PWS. He will help to determine if pitolisant is beneficial for individuals with PWS. If pitolisant proves to be beneficial, he will work with regulatory authorities to provide access to pitolisant in the United States. In his role as CMO, he will be a resource for the PWS community and respond to patient and physician requests for information about pitolisant. He will also work with the Food and Drug Administration to better understand and meet the requirements for expanded access to pharmacological compounds for the PWS patient population.

We feel blessed to welcome such an intelligent, knowledgeable, and compassionate individual to our team.