U.S. Surgeon General Satcher Will Not Seek Reappointment
U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher said yesterday he will not seek reappointment after his four-year term ends in February, though he intends to "serve the remainder of my term in its entirety," the Associated Press reports. Satcher, whose "most prominent work" has involved disease prevention, mental health and AIDS campaigns, said he will consider "how I can best serve the nation" once he steps down and will use his status to promote increased medical research (Associated Press, 8/17). Satcher has called AIDS the "worst infectious disease out there right now" and has said that the United States "cannot afford to ignore the importance of socially based prevention" (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 7/26). Some conservatives "wanted Satcher to resign" in June after he released a report "saying there's no evidence that teaching abstinence from sex works," the Associated Press reports. Satcher "has never expected" President Bush to appoint him to a second term, the Associated Press reports (Associated Press, 8/17).
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