Ildefonso Hernández

Ildefonso Hernández is a Professor of Public Health at the University Miguel Hernández. He previously served as Director General of Public Health at Spain's Ministry of Health and Social Policy, where he led the development of key legislation including the General Law of Public Health and tobacco prevention laws. He has been actively involved with the World Health Organization (WHO), serving on the Standing Committee of the Regional Committee for Europe. Currently, he holds leadership roles in professional societies, including Deputy President of the Spanish Society of Public Health and Health Administration and former President of the Spanish Society of Epidemiology.

His research focuses on Social Determinants of Health, Public Health Ethics, Epidemiologic Methodology, and Health Policy. He has authored over 160 peer-reviewed articles and contributed to influential publications addressing health inequalities and molecular diagnostic research quality.

His work emphasizes the intersection of policy and scientific rigor, particularly in evaluating '-omics' technologies and advocating for 'Health in All Policies' frameworks. He served a critical role in shaping Spain's health policy priorities during its European Union presidency, focusing on reducing health disparities through systemic monitoring.