About

Dr. Richard Boxer is a clinical professor of urology and telemedicine expert at UCLA. He has been appointed to the National Cancer Advisory Board and has served as a health policy advisor to the White House. His research focuses on urology and telemedicine, contributing to health policy and cancer-related initiatives. As a faculty member, he is involved in advancing clinical practices and health policy related to urology and telemedicine.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Political Science
• Anatomy
• Surgery
• Family medicine
• Art
• Virology
• Medical emergency
• Literature
• Pathology
• Nursing

Selected publications

• Editorial Commentary

  Urology Practice · 2026-01-08

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Editorial Commentary

  Urology Practice · 2026-01-23

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Editorial Commentary

  Urology Practice · 2026-02-26

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• There Is Nothing Benign About Reducing the Cancer Research Budget

  JAMA Oncology · 2025-04-29

  article1st authorCorresponding

  This Viewpoint discusses the effect of decreased funding for cancer research in the US.

  PublisherDOI

• Editorial Commentary

  Urology Practice · 2025-12-09

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Editorial Commentary

  Urology Practice · 2025-10-23

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Fortifying the Future: Urological Perspectives on Folic Acid and Spina Bifida Prevention

  International journal of research and scientific innovation · 2025-12-10

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Introduction: Spina bifida affects 214,000-322,000 pregnancies globally every year. The incidence of this permanently disabling, yet preventable, neural tube defect is 1 in 500 births worldwide but disproportionately 1 in 100 births in low- and middle-income countries. Large-scale food fortification of folic acid, passed in 2023 by the World Health Assembly, provides an economically safe and equitably sustainable public health strategy to prevent the life-long urology-associated manifestations of spina bifida. Methods: A literature review was conducted to explore the role of folic acid fortification in preventing spina bifida in the context of urological care. Results: The estimated lifetime direct costs of spina bifida, as it relates to urological care, range between $500,000-$791,900. The goal of urological care in spina bifida patients is to maximize functional status. Folic acid fortification has resulted in fewer cases of spina bifida and consequently fewer pediatric and adult spina bifida-associated urology surgeries. Furthermore, folic acid fortification in the prevention of spina bifida has demonstrated better economic, psychosocial, and health outcomes. Conclusion: Through research, public health initiatives, and campaigns, widespread folic acid fortification has played a crucial role in reducing spina bifida-related urological morbidity and mortality. Spina bifida is preventable, along with its associated psychosocial, economic, medical, and financial burdens. Currently, there are no global consensus guidelines on spina bifida prevention. Hence, government and healthcare organizations are encouraged to support the World Health Assembly resolution in preventing spina bifida through large-scale folic acid fortification. Abbreviations: CIC = clean intermittent catheterization; LMIC low- and middle-income country; LUT = lower urinary tract; MMC = myelomeningocele; MOM = management of myelomeningocele; NB = neurogenic bladder; NTD = neural tube defect; SB = spina bifida; UTI = urinary tract infection; VUR = vesicoureteral reflux

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Editorial Commentary

  Urology Practice · 2025-02-04

  editorial1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Editorial Commentary

  Urology Practice · 2025-06-23

  editorial1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Editorial Commentary

  Urology Practice · 2024-10-21

  editorial1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Robert B. Smith

  University of Central Lancashire

  18 shared

• Joseph J. Kaufman

  12 shared

• Donald G. Skinner

  Stellenbosch University

  12 shared

• Jeremy B. Shelton

  12 shared

• Willard E. Goodwin

  10 shared

• Peggy J. Fritzsche

  Riverside San Bernardino County Indian Health

  9 shared

• Elmer Belt

  United States Department of Veterans Affairs

  9 shared

• Ganesh S. Palapattu

  University of Michigan–Ann Arbor

  9 shared

Labs

• UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research CenterPI

Awards & honors

• Appointed to National Cancer Advisory Board
• Honored by International Society for Stem Cell Research
• Advanced Accelerator Prize
• Warhol Foundation grant
• Young investigator grant from Brain & Behavior Research Foun…