The Many Lives of the 13th Surgeon General

Public Health Insight

By 1981, the U.S. Surgeon General’s office was a shadow of its former self—no ships, no quarantine stations, barely a dozen staff, and one statutory duty: publish the annual smoking report. Yet the Reagan White House still saw an opportunity. They tapped Dr. C. Everett Koop, a pediatric surgery legend whose outspoken pro-life views looked perfect for them in shoring up the administration’s social-conservative base.

In the final chapter of this three-part mini-series on the Public Health Insight Podcast, host Gordon Thane and biographer Dr. Nigel S. Cameron explore how Koop turned a “figurehead” job into the nation’s moral megaphone—taking on Big Tobacco, steering the federal response to HIV/AIDS, and redefining public-health leadership.

References for Our Discussion

◼️Dr. Koop: The Many Lives of the Surgeon General

Guest

◼️Nigel S. Cameron on LinkedIn

Host(s) & Producer(s)

◼️ Gordon Thane, BMSc, MPH, PMP®

Production Notes

◼️ Music from Johnny Harris x Tom Fox: The Music Room

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