| Year | Sponsor | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Office of the President | Presidential Medal of Freedom | |
| 1986 | Office of the President | National Medal of Science | |
| 1978 | National Academy of Sciences | Public Welfare Medal | |
| 2017 (posthumous) | Infectious Diseases Society of America | DA Henderson Award for Outstanding Contributions to Public Health | |
| 2015 | National Foundation for Infectious Diseases | Dr. Charles Mérieux Award for Achievement in Vaccinology and Immunology | Acceptance speech |
| 2011 | National Institute of Social Sciences | Gold Medal | Acceptance speech |
| 2009 | Weills Cornell Medicine, Cornell University | B.H. Keane Medal | Acceptance speech |
| 2008 | State University of New York (Downstate) | Ailanthus Award | |
| 2007 | University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health | International Public Health Hero Award | |
| 2006 | Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science | Visiting Professor | |
| 2006 | Midwestern Research Institute | Trustee Citation | |
| 2005 | University of Rochester School of Medicine | Charles Force Hutchison and Marjorie Smith Hutchison Medal | Adventures into the unknown |
| 2004 | American Council on Science and Health | Award for Distinguished Achievement | |
| 2003 | National Institutes of Health Alumni Association | Public Service Award | |
| 2003 | University of Rochester School of Medicine | Distinguished Alumnus Award | |
| 2003 | Brown University, Center for Biodefense | September Eleventh Award | The smallpox chronicles: Chapters yet to be written |
| 2003 | American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) | The 50 Most Innovative Americans over 50 | |
| 2002 | Infectious Diseases Society of America | Joseph Smadel Medal | Virus disease eradication: Lessons still not learned |
| 2002 | University of Rochester School of Medicine | Arthur Kornberg Research Award | |
| 2002 | The Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine | Dean's Medal Special Recognition Award | |
| 2002 | Clan Henderson Society | Order of the Chief | |
| 2001 | New York Academy of Medicine | Sylvia and Herbert Berger Award | The death and resurrection of a virus: Lessons in international health and bioterrorism |
| 2000 | The Annapolis Center for Science-Based Public Policy | Science Award | Impromptu remarks |
| 1999 | Columbia University, School of Public Health | Frank Calderone Prize | Bioterrorism: myths and realities; Commemorative booklet |
| 1999 | University of Kansas | Takeru Higuchi Memorial Award | A vanquished dragon enjoys a resurrection [Notes only] |
| 1998 | The Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine | Visiting Professor | |
| 1996 | Infectious Diseases Society of America | Society Citation | Polio vaccine: Oral versus injectable |
| 1995 | New York Academy of Medicine | John Stearns Award | |
| 1994 | Albert B. Sabin Vaccine Foundation | 1st Sabin Gold Medal | The eradication of poliomyelitis |
| 1993 | American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene | Walter Reed Medal | |
| 199 | City of Durham, North Carolina | City of Medicine Award | |
| 1993 | Award for Leadership in International Health | National Council for International Health | |
| 1992 | American College of Preventive Medicine | Special Recognition Award | |
| 1992 | Ronald McDonald Children’s Charities | Award of Excellence | |
| 1992 | U.S. Public Health Service | Surgeon General’s Medallion | |
| 1992 | The Johns Hopkins University | Woodrow Wilson Award for Distinguished Government Service | |
| 1992 | The Johns Hopkins University, Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing | Founder’s Award | |
| 1992 | Special Recognition Award | American College of Preventive Medicine | |
| 1991 | John R. Hogness Award | Assoc of Academic Health Centers | Academic health centers and the health of the nation |
| 1991 | American College of Epidemiology | Abraham Lilienfeld Award | |
| 1990 | Governor's Salute to Excellence | Governor of Maryland | |
| 1990 | Certification of Appreciation | US Agency for International Development | |
| 1990 | Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges | Hall of Fame | |
| 1990 | Vanderbilt University | School of Medicine Medal | |
| 1986 | Charles A. Dana Foundation | Award for Pioneering Achievements in Health | |
| 1986 | U.S. General Accounting Office | Comptroller General’s Special Recognition | |
| 1986 | Alumni Hall of Fame | Lakewood [OH] High School Alumni Assoc | |
| 1985 | North Carolina Educational, Historical, and Scientific Foundation | Albert Schweitzer International Prize for Medicine | Acceptance speech |
| 1984 | Michigan State University | Walter F. Patenge Medal of Public Service | |
| 1982 | The Johns Hopkins University | Distinguished Alumnus Award | |
| 1980 | Delta Omega Honorary Public Health Society | Outstanding Alumnus Award | |
| 1979 | Blue Cross-Blue Shield | 50th Anniversary Distinguished Service Award | * Prevention and public health |
| 1979 | U.S. Association for the United Nations | Joseph C. Wilson Award for Achievement and Promise in International Affairs | First eradication of a human disease |
| 1978 | American College of Physicians | James D. Bruce Memorial Award | |
| 1976 | U.S. Public Health Service | Distinguished Service Medal | |
| 1975 | American Public Health Association | Rosenhaus International Award | |
| 1966 | U.S. Department of Health and Human Services | Sustained Superior Performance Award | |
| 1964 | U.S. Department of Health and Human Services | Superior Service Award | |
| 1963 | U.S. Public Health Service | Commendation Medal | |
| 1954 | Cushing Prize in the History of Medicine | Univ of Rochester School of Medicine | Epidemic cholera: Rochester 1832 |
