ArMA Member Spotlight: Vivian W. Huang, MD, MPH

December 27, 2023
Portrait of Leah Sanford in glasses, smiling against a gray background with a purple frame and award badge.

We are honored to introduce this month's ArMA Member Spotlight, Vivian W. Huang, MD, MPH! Dr. Huang is a trained internal medicine & preventive medicine/public health physician with close to 20 years of experience in clinical medicine and international & domestic public health. Currently, Dr. Huang serves as the Senior Medical Science Liaison for Novavax. Within ArMA, Dr. Huang is a member of the newly-established Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Taskforce.

In her interview for our Member Spotlight, Dr. Huang shares details of her work with Doctors Without Borders and her harrowing journey from Syria to Turkey in 2013. Filled with a passion for the great outdoors and peer connections, Dr. Huang continues to support and nurture the health of patients in Arizona and beyond. 


Learn all about Dr. Huang's journey with medicine below!

What's a project you're working on right now? Why is it meaningful to you?


I’d like to see more COVID-19 vaccination uptake as we see increases in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations across the country. Some of our best tools still are getting vaccinated, wearing a mask, and staying home if sick. It is meaningful to me to see fewer people infected with COVID-19 so we can further prevent people from dying prematurely.


What would people be surprised to learn about you?


I have spent time in a war zone with shellings happening every night, and I am lucky to have made it out of Syria in one piece. I previously worked with Doctors Without Borders and was on an emergency assignment to Syria in 2013 because there was desperate medical need. While I was in the country seeing patients in an outpatient clinic, sarin gas was released allegedly by the Assad regime. At the same time, an American and Prescott resident aid worker Kayla Mueller was taken captive after leaving a Doctors Without Borders hospital in Aleppo, Syria, and was killed by ISIS. When this occurred, my entire team was evacuated to Turkey. We stayed in Turkey for a few weeks due to political unrest and finally returned home. After my return home, I learned that the team that relieved us were kidnapped and held in captivity for 6 months. I am eternally grateful to be alive today.

Portrait of Leah Sanford in glasses, smiling against a gray background with a purple frame and award badge.

What do you like best about living in Arizona?


The outdoors here are unbelievable for those who enjoy being with nature as much as  possible. I love the hiking, trail running (although I am still a novice), road running, mountain biking, and birding that exist here in Arizona. The nature is healing and is the best medicine.

What has been the biggest change in your career?


I have spent much of my career in clinical medicine and public health. I am a trained preventive medicine physician and have worked for several local health departments, including New York City and Maricopa County, AZ. After responding to COVID-19 in NYC with the NYC Health Department, I was really tired and exhausted. I needed to take a break. I have worked for Dynavax, a vaccine company that manufactures Heplisav, the 2-dose adult hepatitis B vaccine. I tried one last time to work in public health at the Maricopa County Department of Public Health and saw one of the very few ocular mpox cases from the recent 2022 outbreak. Another outbreak on the heels of a global pandemic nailed the public health coffin shut for me. I have since gone back to the vaccine industry where I can still make an impact with prevention and vaccines. I now work for Novavax, which manufactures the only non-mRNA, protein-based, adjuvanted COVID-19 vaccine authorized for use in the US.


What song has been on repeat lately?


This Land is Your Land, originally by Woody Guthrie. I love this song and what it symbolizes about our country. It is a place for all of us.

What prompted you to become involved in organized medicine?

 
I enjoy learning from other physicians as to what currently are the medical concerns from a local context. I find an exchange of ideas helps us all to do our work better. It’s also a great way to meet other like-minded people and have a little bit of relaxation and socialization with peers. We can make positive change together as a community. 

ADHS Issues Standing Orders for Flu, COVID-19 Vaccine Access

By Admin User • September 18, 2026
Statewide orders keep pharmacists and physicians authorized to vaccinate Arizonans amid uncertainty over the next ACIP meeting. Statewide Orders Cover the 2026-27 Flu & COVID Season The Arizona Department of Health Services has issued statewide standing orders supporting access to the 2026-27 influenza and COVID-19 vaccines approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Arizonans seeking a flu or COVID-19 vaccine should contact their physician or pharmacy to confirm availability. Why the Orders Were Issued Arizona pharmacists may administer vaccines recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, vaccines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for international travel, or vaccines authorized under a prescription, including a physician-issued public health standing order. With the timing of the next ACIP meeting uncertain, ADHS worked with the Arizona Board of Pharmacy to issue statewide standing orders for the flu and COVID-19 vaccines, which function as a prescription allowing pharmacists and physicians across Arizona to administer them to anyone who wants one. ADHS Medical Advisor Weighs In "Vaccines are one of the most important tools we have to protect our communities. The Influenza and COVID-19 vaccines have been proven safe and effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalization, and death. Vaccines help us limit the spread of disease, reduce pressure on our healthcare system and reduce costs," said Dr. Richard Carmona, ADHS public health medical advisor and the 17th U.S. Surgeon General. "We have issued these standing orders to ensure safe and timely access to the vaccines in alignment with scientific and evidence-based guidance." What Arizonans Should Know The standing orders do not require every pharmacy to offer vaccinations, and they do not guarantee insurance coverage for administration. Coverage and out-of-pocket costs vary by plan, so Arizonans should check with their insurance provider before scheduling an appointment. 

Arizona Asks Supreme Court to Halt Prison Health Care Takeover

By Admin User • September 18, 2026
State attorneys seek an emergency stay after lower courts reject bids to delay receivership of the prison health care system. State Makes a Last-Ditch Appeal Attorneys for the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry asked the U.S. Supreme Court this week to delay a court-ordered receivership of the state's prison health care system. The request comes after both a federal district court and the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals declined to pause the takeover. In the recent application, former U.S. Solicitor General Paul Clement, a representative of the department, argued that the state deserves more time to make its case before surrendering control of its operations, including oversight of its employees and health care budget. Roots of the Case The dispute began in 2012 when inmates sued the department, alleging the prison system's inadequate medical, mental health, and dental care amounted to cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment. The case went through years of litigation and a failed settlement agreement. In 2023, U.S. District Judge Roslyn Silver ruled that the health care system was "grossly inadequate." The court ordered the prison healthcare system to comply with more than 150 "quality indicators," but according to court-appointed monitors, the department failed to comply with 131 of the measures. In light of this finding, Silver named Annette Chambers-Smith, former director of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, to take over as receiver effective Oct. 19. Arguments on Both Sides Clement argues receivership should be the last resort and that Silver moved to it too quickly. He asserts that the department has made measurable progress, including growing its health care staffing by more than 50%, expanding substance-use treatment access, and adopting a new care model. Corene Kendrick, deputy director of the American Civil Liberties Union National Prison Project, which represents the roughly 25,000 people incarcerated in Arizona prisons, called the department's request a "Hail Mary" and said Silver had given the department years of opportunities to comply before ordering receivership. What Happens Next The Supreme Court has not yet set a deadline for the plaintiffs to respond to the stay request. Separately, the 9th Circuit is now reviewing the merits of the receivership order itself. The department filed its opening brief on Sept. 15, and the plaintiffs' response is due Oct. 15. Information in this article was sourced from the Arizona Mirror .