Obama Should Honor First Researcher to Find Cure for Sickle-Cell Anemia

One likely legacy of the Presidency of Barack Obama will be a massive increase in funding levels for sickle cell anemia research and sickle cell anemia medical treatment programs.

It seems possible, in fact, that the cure for sickle cell anemia will occur at some point during President Obama's tenure in the White House.

And when that medical cure is found, President Obama will have the opportunity to preside over an awards ceremony on the White House grounds.

That public ceremony will raise the question of which type of award will President Obama be legally authorized to confer on the very first medical researcher from any nation of the world who discovers the cure for sickle cell anemia.

Perhaps Congress should authorize President Obama to confer a "Presidential Citizen of the World Award" or a "Presidential Public Health Award" on the medical researcher or medical research team that finds the cure for sickle cell anemia.