CNN/AP: Surgeon General Richard Carmona quietly leaves post

[DeepModem Mom]

Surgeon General Richard Carmona leaves post
Monday, July 31, 2006

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Quietly leaving his post as surgeon general, Dr. Richard Carmona said he would judge himself successful if he had persuaded one student to make good health choices or one mother to stop smoking.

Carmona's report condemning secondhand smoke was a hallmark of his tenure as the nation's 17th surgeon general....

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Carmona's term expired over the weekend with no announcement from the Department of Health and Human Services. However, a letter Carmona wrote to his fellow officers of the United States Public Health Service began to circulate Monday on Capitol Hill....

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Carmona had a lower public profile than some of his immediate predecessors, such as C. Everett Koop, who served two terms, Joycelyn Elders, who served about half a term, and most recently, David Satcher....

http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/07/31/surgeon.general.ap/index.html

[wiley]

1. The LAST thing Republicans care about is other people's health

They want the whole Office of Surgeon General just to go away. They want to privatize Social Security and privatize information and access to health care information as well.

[izzie]

3. I am sure you are wrong. Health care is a Billion dollar business

Before we get national health care in this country I am sure more money can be pulled out of us. Did I just read we were 37 th in the world in health care?

[Captain Hilts]

2. Did he nominate the veterinarian to be head of women's health at NIH?

[Judi Lynn]

4. Washington Post:U.S. Surgeon General Says He Is Resigning

U.S. Surgeon General Says He Is Resigning
From News Services
Tuesday, August 1, 2006; Page A06

U.S. Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona let it be known yesterday that he is stepping down, saying in a letter that he would judge himself successful if he had persuaded one student to make good health choices or one mother to stop smoking.

Carmona's term expired over the weekend with no announcement from the Department of Health and Human Services. But a letter that Carmona wrote to his fellow officers of the U.S. Public Health Service began to circulate yesterday on Capitol Hill.

His departure comes little more than a month after Carmona issued a report highlighting the health dangers of secondhand smoke, a hallmark of his tenure as the nation's 17th surgeon general.

Carmona cited several accomplishments in the letter, including educating Americans about the importance of preparing for natural and other disasters. He also noted his focus on trying to eliminate health disparities among parts of the population on such diseases as AIDS and diabetes.
(snip/...)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/31/AR2006073100974.html