May 21, 1971
Dear Dr. Fries,
It is a pleasure to confirm our telephone conversation, and to advise you "officially" that the Foundation's Medical Research Awards Jury has chosen you winner of the 1971 Albert Lasker Clinical Medical Research Award.  My congratulations to you!
The 1971 Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award will be shared by Dr. Seymour Benzer, Professor of Biology at the California Institute of Technology, Dr. Sydney Brenner,  Medical Research Council Unit of Molecular Biology at the University of Cambridge, and Dr. Charles Yanofsky, Professor of Biology at Stanford University, for their contributions to our understanding of the molecular physiology of the gene.
May I ask that you keep confidential the news of these Awards until the announcement of the winners is released to the press?
The Clinical Medical Research Award consists of a $10,000 honorarium, an engraved citation, and a replica of the Winged Victory of Samothrace.  It will be presented to you at the annual Medical Research Awards Luncheon to be given by the Foundation at the St. Regis Hotel on Thursday, November 11, 1971.
A press conference is scheduled at the Foundation's offices at 10:45 A. M. on Tuesday, November 9th.  At this press conference the announcement of the winners of the 1971 Awards is made by Dr. DeBakey and Mrs. Lasker. We have found this conference an invaluable means of giving the press an opportunity to place the winner's work and the Awards in more accurate and significant perspective in the articles they write or the programs that may be broadcast.  We count on your being present at this conference.
It is also customary for the winners to prepare a scientific paper to present at a Symposium at the time of the Awards' presentation.  These scientific papers are also published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in the issue which appears the week of November 15th.  In order to meet the deadline of this issue, please send your scientific paper to me at this office by August 9th, at the latest.  The usual length of these papers is 15 double-spaced, typewritten pages, and we will need an original and three copies.   I will be in touch with you later about the details of this paper and its presentation.
I am enclosing the nomination blank for the 1971 Awards, which will give you some additional background information on these Awards.
Again, my congratulations to you -- and welcome to the distinguished company of Albert Lasker Medical Research Award winners !
With all best wishes,
Sincerely,
Alice Fordyce
Vice President