For the first time in 3 years, the United States has a
national physician: David Satcher, MD, PhD, who has already made his
commitment to the prevention of disease clear in the 4 years he headed
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
One of 10 children born to parents who did not finish their schooling,
Dr Satcher nearly died of whooping cough. He learned that early lesson
well and is credited with spearheading the recent increases in
immunization rates among US infants and toddlers.
In contrast to previous nominees to the post of US Surgeon General in
the Clinton Administration, Dr Satcher received wide bipartisan
support, avoiding the stumbling block of the abortion litmus test that
had kept the office vacant for so long. President Clinton's first
surgeon general, Joycelyn Elders, MD, resigned under pressure after
making a comment about teenage masturbation as preferable to teenage
sex. Her views on other issues such as abortion, teen sexuality, and
condoms made her a lightning rod in the administration. The
President's next nominee, Henry Foster, Jr, MD, stumbled over the
abortion issue. As an obstetrician-gynecologist, he had performed
abortions, a fact that angered the Republican right. Dr Satcher, in
comparision, encountered little opposition.
When he was sworn in, Dr Satcher made clear his commitment to the tasks
of prevention and his hope of making the office he is assuming the
"bully pulpit" that marked the tenure of C. Everett Koop, MD.
"As surgeon general, as Robert Frost said, I have promises
© 1998 American Heart Association, Inc.
Cardiovascular News
The Surgeon General: David Satcher, MD, PhD