Vivek Murthy

Vivek Murthy

Vivek Hallegere Murthy is an American physician and former vice admiral in the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. He is the first Surgeon General of Indian descent and was the youngest active duty flag officer in federal uniformed service while serving in office. He founded Doctors for America, a group of more than 15,000physicians and medical students supporting high quality affordable care for all.

About Vivek Murthy in brief

Summary Vivek MurthyVivek Hallegere Murthy is an American physician and former vice admiral in the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. He is the first Surgeon General of Indian descent and was the youngest active duty flag officer in federal uniformed service while serving in office. On November 9, 2020, President-elect of the United States Joe Biden announced that Murthy would co-chair his COVID-19 Advisory Board, alongside former Food and Drug Administration commissioner David A. Kessler and Yale public health professor Marcella Nunez-Smith. In 2011, Murthy was appointed by Barack Obama to serve on the Presidential Advisory Council on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health within the Department of Health and Human Services.

His nomination met resistance in the Senate by some Democrats, Republicans, and the National Rifle Association regarding previous comments Murthy made declaring gun violence as a threat to public health. Murthy’s 2016 surgeon general report on e-cigarette use among youths emphasized the vulnerability of young people to the products and recommended that e-cigarettes be incorporated into existing policies to prevent youth access to them. He has also worked on the effects of climate change on the country and with Elmo and Top Chef to inform the country about healthy eating and cooking. He founded Doctors for America, a group of more than 15,000physicians and medical students supporting high quality affordable care for all.