Dr. Abraham Fuks MD, CM, FRCP (C)

Peacefully on Sunday, December 1, 2024. Beloved son of the late David and the late Sara Fuks. Dear brother and brother-in-law of Sylvia Fuks and Jules Fried. Loving uncle of Sara Fried Singer and Isabel Singer, and Sabrina Fried. Abe will be sadly missed and fondly remembered by his extended family, friends, and colleagues. Funeral service from Paperman & Sons, 3888 Jean Talon St. W. on Monday, December 2 at 2:00 p.m. Burial at the Montreal Worker’s Circle Cemetery, de la Savane. Shiva to be announced. 

Dr. Abraham Fuks, a distinguished physician, researcher, and academic, made profound contributions to medical science, education, ethics, and community service. A graduate of McGill University’s Faculty of Medicine, where he earned his M.D., C.M. in 1970, Dr. Fuks served as a professor in the Department of Medicine and Health Sciences at McGill. He was Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at McGill from 1995 to 2006 and later a visiting professor in the Department of Social Medicine at Harvard University from 2007 to 2008.

Throughout his career, Dr. Fuks conducted pioneering research on the immunogenetics of type 1 diabetes, tumor biology, and cell adhesion molecules. His work also extended to the ethical aspects of clinical trials involving human subjects, exemplifying his dedication to maintaining the highest standards of research integrity. He chaired McGill’s Institutional Review Board for 14 years and served as the university’s Research Integrity Officer from 2009 to 2014.

As an educator, Dr. Fuks was deeply committed to teaching future generations of medical professionals. He taught immunology, molecular oncology, research ethics, and clinical reasoning to medical and graduate students, inspiring many with his depth of knowledge and compassion. His scholarly interests included the language of medicine and its metaphoric structure, as well as the role of narratives in the patient-physician relationship. He was the co-author of Physicianship and the Rebirth of Medical Education and the author of The Language of Medicine.

In addition to his academic and professional achievements, Dr. Fuks was deeply engaged in numerous philanthropic and community projects.

Dr. Fuks was widely recognized for his contributions. He was a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, a member of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, and an Officer of the Order of Canada. His legacy as a clinician, researcher, educator, and community leader leaves an enduring impact on the field of medicine and the lives of countless individuals who benefited from his knowledge, mentorship, and compassion.

Donations in his memory may be made to the “Dr. Abraham Fuks Memorial Fund” c/o   the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at McGill University, (514) 398-2787 or click here.