William Friedman, 69; Former Pediatrics Chairman at UCLA School of Medicine

Dr. William F. Friedman, former chairman of the pediatrics department at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, who served on the Medical Board of California and the state Air Resources Board, has died. He was 69.

Friedman died Thursday of interstitial pulmonary fibrosis at his home in Brentwood, the school announced.

“Dr. Friedman was a true leader and visionary in the field of pediatric cardiology,” said Dr. Gerald S. Levey, vice chancellor of UCLA medical sciences and dean of the School of Medicine.

Friedman’s research led to therapeutic advances in the care of thousands of premature babies born each year in the United States. In 1972, he demonstrated that medical therapy could prevent the need for cardiac surgery to correct patent ductus arteriosus, a common heart defect in which a large blood vessel remains open abnormally after birth.

In the early 1970s, his laboratory introduced to pediatric medicine the use of two-dimensional echocardiography, or ultrasound. During his pediatric residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Friedman edited the first modern edition of the Harriet Lane Handbook, a standard resource still used by medical students and pediatric residents.

He also began a series of studies researching the relationship between vitamin D, unexplained excess calcium in the blood and narrowing of the heart’s major arterial outlet, the aorta, above the aortic valve.

At UCLA, Friedman was chairman and then executive chairman of the department of pediatrics, a senior advisor to the provost and dean of the School of Medicine, and director of the training program in pediatric cardiology. In 1997, he became senior associate dean for academic affairs.

Before joining UCLA, Friedman held positions at the UC San Diego School of Medicine and the National Heart Institute.

He was a member of many medical organizations and served on the editorial boards for leading cardiology journals.

He also was editor of Pediatric Research and associate editor of Pediatric Annals.

Friedman earned his undergraduate degree in 1957 from Columbia College and his medical degree from the State University of New York in 1961.

Gov. Pete Wilson appointed him to the Medical Board of California in 1994 and to the Air Quality Board in 1997.

He is survived by his wife, Denise; sons Michael and Jonathan; two grandchildren; and a sister.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Kehillat Israel, 16019 Sunset Blvd., Pacific Palisades.

The family requests that, instead of flowers, donations be made to the UCLA Foundation for the William F. Friedman Memorial Fund, David Geffen School of Medicine, 10833 Le Conte Ave., CHS 12-138, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1722.