E. Gifford Upjohn (1904–1993) was an American executive.

E. Gifford Upjohn was born in 1904 in Michigan.^[1] He was a grandnephew of founder William E. Upjohn.^[2] He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan Medical School in 1928 and completed an internship at the University Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan.^[2]

Upjohn started his career in 1930 by joining family business, The Upjohn Company.^[2]

In 1937, Upjohn company's medical division, at a time when the relationship between pharmaceutical companies and the American Medical Association was marked by skepticism.^[2][3]

Upjohn progressed through various roles, becoming vice president and medical director in 1943, and then executive vice president in 1951.^[4][2] He was appointed president of the company in 1953, and in 1962, he became chairman, a position he held until his retirement in 1969.^[4][2] He remained a board member until 1978.^[2]

In 1970, the University of Michigan named a new center for clinical pharmacology after him, when he donated a $1.1 million to the university.^[2]

His contributions extended to regulatory matters in the pharmaceutical industry.^[3] Upjohn testified at U.S. Senate hearings in 1959 and 1960, focusing on drug pricing.^[3] These hearings contributed to legislation that required pharmaceutical companies to demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of their products before market introduction, a shift from earlier regulations that did not mandate such proof through clinical trials.^[3][1]