Hansel E. Tookes, M.D. ’14, M.P.H. ’09, is a trailblazing physician and public health advocate who has redefined harm reduction and HIV prevention in Florida, setting a national benchmark for compassionate, evidence-based care. Through bold advocacy and innovative leadership, he has transformed Florida’s approach to addiction and infectious disease, leading with both science and heart.

Raised in a family devoted to community service, Dr. Tookes carries a deep commitment to serving vulnerable populations. He is driven by a belief in dignity, equity and the principle that health care must reach people where they are.

“Everybody’s life is valuable,” Dr. Tookes said. “Everybody’s.”

As a medical student at the Miller School, Dr. Tookes uncovered a public health crisis: Miami had eight times more discarded syringes than San Francisco, a city with established needle exchange programs. He led a relentless five-year campaign to change that, culminating in the 2016 passage of the Florida Infectious Disease Elimination Act (IDEA), a groundbreaking law now implemented statewide.

“My mentors at the Miller School helped me bring bold ideas to life,” Dr. Tookes said. “They taught me nothing is off-limits when it comes to saving lives.”

Dr. Tookes founded and leads the IDEA Exchange at the University of Miami. This pioneering harm-reduction program offers not just needle exchange, but HIV and hepatitis C prevention, substance use treatment and naloxone distribution through both clinic-based and mobile outreach. The program’s impact is undeniable: fewer discarded syringes, lower infection rates and lives saved from overdose.

“I’m humbled to have touched so many lives — people I’ll never meet,” he said. “That’s a rare privilege.”

Today, Dr. Tookes is breaking new ground once again by testing Tele-Harm Reduction models that deliver HIV treatment, hepatitis C therapy and addiction services directly to people who inject drugs.

“We’re on the edge of redefining what’s possible in HIV care,” Dr. Tookes said.

Dr. Tookes has been recognized for his contributions. In 2024, he was named an Emerging Leaders in Health and Medicine Scholar by the National Academy of Medicine. He also serves on the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS, where he drives policy grounded in justice and inclusion.

As a professor of medicine at the Miller School, Dr. Tookes is shaping the next generation with the same passion that drives his work. He encourages students to turn the pain they witness — poverty, illness, injustice — into purpose.

“My students’ compassion and brilliance give me hope,” he said. “The future of medicine is in good hands.”