Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Surgeon General, An Obama-Holdover, Asked To Resign
The New York Times: Nurse Replaces Surgeon General After Obama Appointee Resigns
Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy, an Obama administration holdover, was asked to resign by the Trump administration on Friday. He was replaced by his deputy, Rear Adm. Sylvia Trent-Adams, one of the first nurses to serve as surgeon general. Admiral Trent-Adams will for now be in an acting role. As of Friday evening, she had already replaced Dr. Murthy on the surgeon general’s Twitter account, and her portrait had replaced his on the agency’s Facebook page. One of the first comments on that post asked, “Where is Dr. Murthy?” (Ivory and Harris, 2/21)
The Washington Post: Surgeon General Is Removed By Trump Administration, Replaced By Deputy For Now
Murthy, a holdover from the Obama administration, was asked to resign, according to a statement released Friday night by the Department of Health and Human Services. The statement said that “after assisting in a smooth transition into the new Trump administration,” Murthy “has been relieved of his duties.” Trent-Adams, a 24-year veteran of the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and a former chief nurse officer of the Public Health Service, will fill the role for now, the statement said. (Bernstein, 4/22)
The Wall Street Journal: U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy Dismissed
Dr. Murthy said in a long Facebook posting late Friday night that he believed Adm. Trent-Adams was “capable and compassionate” and described lessons he said he had learned from a job he had been honored to hold. “Healing happens when we are able to truly talk and connect with each other. That means listening and understanding. It means assuming good, not the worst. It means pausing before we judge. Building a more connected America will require us to find new ways to talk to each other,” he wrote. (Radnofsky, 4/22)
