Dr. Richard A. Elion, MD

Expert Publications

• Rilpivirine versus efavirenz with emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate in treatment-naïve HIV-1-infected patients with HIV-1 RNA ≤100,000 copies/mL: week 96 pooled ECHO/THRIVE subanalysis.
• Complementary medicine and HIV infection.

Clinical Trials

• Digimeds to Optimize Adherence in Patients With Hepatitis C and Increased Risk for Nonadherence
• Safety and Efficacy of ADAPTAVIR's Ability to Eliminate Treatment-Resistant Infectious Virus in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMCs)
• SHARE: Simple HAART With Abacavir, Reyataz, and Epivir

Media Releases

Get to know Family Physician Dr. Richard A. Elion, who serves patients in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Elion is a board-certified family physician in Washington, D.C. and has been practicing for four decades. He actively sees patients with HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, and other sexually transmitted diseases who require cutting-edge therapies.

Holding various roles, he is the Director of Research at Washington Health Institute, an Associate Clinical Professor of Internal Medicine at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Science, a Senior Policy Advisor at Trio Health, the Co-Director of the HIV/HCV program at Providence Hospital, and the Medical Director of the Center for Athletic Performance Enhancement.

The Washington Health Institute was founded with the mission to improve the health of the community by providing exceptional primary and infectious diseases specialty care services. The providers approach the unique needs of each patient by providing holistic care support and patient education, while participating in innovative research that advances the quality of life for patients.

An accomplished educator and clinician, Dr. Elion is a past Director of Clinical Research at WhitmanWalker Health, also in Washington, DC, where he focused on cutting-edge research initiatives in prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, and other STDs. His tenure at Whitman-Walker Health coincided with the organization being selected in 2013 as part of the AIDS Clinical Trials Group by the National Institutes of Health.

Prior to joining Whitman-Walker Health, he served as Co-Director of HIV Services at the Washington Free Clinic. He also served in various research and clinical capacities in New York, New York, and Washington, D.C. 

The doctor’s acclaimed career in medicine began after he earned his medical degree from the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University in 1980. He then went on to serve his internship and residency in family medicine at Duke University Medical Center. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in English and Psychobiology from Tufts University, and a Master of Arts degree in Counseling and Spiritual Psychology from the University of Santa Monica in California.

Dedicated to excellence, Dr. Elion is board-certified in family medicine by the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM). The ABFM is a non-profit, independent medical association of American physicians who practice in family medicine and its sub-specialties.

In good standing with a number of professional organizations, he is an active member of the American Medical Association, the American Public Health Association, the American Academy of Family Practice, the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association, the Community Research Initiative Alliance on AIDS, and the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture (Founding Member).

Family medicine is a medical specialty devoted to comprehensive health care for people of all ages. The specialist is called a family physician or family doctor. A family physician is often the first person a patient sees when seeking healthcare services. They examine and treat patients with a wide range of conditions and refer those with serious ailments to a specialist or appropriate facility. 

Among his current HIV/AIDS service activities, Dr. Elion travels extensively throughout North America to provide education on the HIV/AIDS and viral hepatitis epidemics and their treatments. He also provides training and education of pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV and LGBT health, and travels to Uganda annually to conduct intensive training for local medical providers on advancements in HIV treatment.

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