Surgeon General's Warning: How Politics Crippled the Nation’s Doctor

by Mike Stobbe

What does it mean to be the nation's doctor? In this engaging narrative, journalist Mike Stobbe examines the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General, emphasizing that it has always been unique within the federal government in its ability to influence public health. But now, in their efforts to provide leadership in public health policy, surgeons general compete with other high-profile figures such as the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services and the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Furthermore, in an era of declining budgets, when public health departments have eliminated tens of thousands of jobs, some argue that a lower-profile and ineffective surgeon general is a waste of money. By tracing stories of how surgeons general like Luther Terry, C. Everett Koop, and Joycelyn Elders created policies and confronted controversy in response to issues like smoking, AIDS, and masturbation, Stobbe highlights how this office is key to shaping the nation’s health and explailns why its decline is harming our national well-being.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science

394 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Lauren]

I never know much about Thomas Parran or C.Everret Koop. I had no desire to learn more about veneral disease, but the health and political implications of ignoring obesity, lesser evil smoking, or even the Tuskegee experiment has opened my eyes. Certainly, this belongs on every political animal obsessed with health and politics.

[John]

A historical review of the men and women who have held the position of Surgeon General. The politics involved, the "bully pulpit" from which several Surgeons General promoted their own health agendas, and the effects the Surgeon General has had on the health and welfare of the nation. The author finishes by describing possible scenarios involving the future of the position, ultimately advocating the elimination of the position.

While the book could use one last review with the red pen (Woodward Wilson was never president of the United States), it explores the highlights and low points of the "Nation's Doctor" in a thorough but entertaining manner. Recommended for anyone with an interest in public health or the medical field.

[Maggie Hesseling]

A very interesting explanation of the role of the Surgeon General and what it has meant historically to have the position. Especially interesting for those who know a little and want to know more.