Physicians for National Health Care comes out against Gupta

[eridani]

Dear PNHP members and friends,

The report this week that President-elect Obama is considering Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN's chief medical correspondent, for the position of U.S. surgeon general is deeply troubling.

Among our concerns are these:


He has very little background in public health, preventive medicine or administration.

He has openly opposed progressive health reform, going so far as to cite false information to denigrate single payer (e.g. in his error-laden attack on Michael Moore's film "Sicko") and parroting the health insurance lobby's distortions of single payer.

As a media figure, he has been disturbingly cozy with Big Pharma. He co-hosts Turner Private Networks' monthly show "Accent Health," which airs in doctors' offices around the country and which serves as a major conduit for targeted ads from the drug companies. Another example: In 2003, despite mounting evidence to the contrary, he publicly downplayed concerns about the dangers of Vioxx. It was removed from the market a year later by its manufacturer, Merck.

In the 2008 election campaign, his reporting on John McCain's health proposals was misleading and implicitly positive, giving undeserved credence to McCain's claims that buying private health insurance on the open market is a financially viable option for most Americans.

We urge you to write to President-elect Obama and express your opposition to Gupta's possible nomination, and to urge Obama to nominate a more acceptable candidate for this critically important post. You can do so by clicking here: http://change.gov/page/s/healthcare.

Sincerely yours,

Quentin D. Young, M.D.
National Coordinator


Physicians for a National Health Program
29 E Madison Suite 602, Chicago, IL 60602
Phone [phone] | Fax: [phone]
www.pnhp.org | info {at} pnhp.org
© PNHP 2009

[Swamp Rat]

1. k&r

[DRoseDARs]

2. And they're only doing it because he was mean to Michael Moore.

:sarcasm:

[Skittles]

14. we are all expressing "fake outrage"

oh yes :o

[JimGinPA]

37. Well, You Anyway...

For quite a while.

[K Gardner]

3. oopsie.

[Thrill]

4. "a more acceptable candidate" The arrogance of some of these special interest groups

Obama didn't get the memo that his nominees had to be acceptable by the PNHP or other such groups

[Hissyspit]

5. Nothing arrogant at all.

This is a democracy. They are expressing their opinion.

[glitch]

7. He should have, it's an integral part of our democracy. So is feedback from his constituents.

Unless you forgot your sarcasm tag, in which case, snap!

[mmonk]

9. "Exactly"

says the Health Insurance Lobby.

[Bluebear]

33. :nodding:

[knitter4democracy]

12. Yeah, because why would you ask doctors who should be Surgeon General?

What do they know, those doctors who actually study and worry about community health and advocate for their patients? :sarcasm:

[eridani]

13. The arrogance of people who would continue the blood sacrifice of 18,000 a year

--on the altar of private insurance.

[ZombieHorde]

29. Someone disagreed with God? Their questioning will be punished!

[Triana]

6. I followed their link and sent the following message to 'change.gov'

Physicians for National Healthcare opposes the appointment of Dr. Sanjay Gupta as Surgeon General. I also oppose the appointment of Dr. Gupta, and for the same reasons, among them:


He has very little background in public health, preventive medicine or administration.

He has openly opposed progressive health reform, going so far as to cite false information to denigrate single payer (e.g. in his error-laden attack on Michael Moore's film "Sicko") and parroting the health insurance lobby's distortions of single payer.

As a media figure, he has been disturbingly cozy with Big Pharma. He co-hosts Turner Private Networks' monthly show "Accent Health," which airs in doctors' offices around the country and which serves as a major conduit for targeted ads from the drug companies. Another example: In 2003, despite mounting evidence to the contrary, he publicly downplayed concerns about the dangers of Vioxx. It was removed from the market a year later by its manufacturer, Merck.

In the 2008 election campaign, his reporting on John McCain's health proposals was misleading and implicitly positive, giving undeserved credence to McCain's claims that buying private health insurance on the open market is a financially viable option for most Americans.


I ask that President-elect Barack Obama RECONSIDER Dr. Gupta's appointment and consider a more acceptable candidate for this critical post.

Regards,

[LiberalFighter]

8. More importantly he is a hired hack/quack for pharma.

Gupta doesn't give a damn about physicians or the patients if it effects his wallet.

[asdjrocky]

10. Thanks for the post.

This bothers me even more than the Warren thing.

[knitter4democracy]

11. Whooo! Go get him!

These are doctors I would trust to know, and we all know Gupta's a shill.

[Royal Sloan 09]

15. K & R eom

[Bozita]

16. K&R

[earth mom]

17. It's great to see some doctors who give a damn!

:thumbsup:

[kwenu]

18. Other than taking a picture in a general's uniform what exactly do we expect from a Surgeon General?

[ClayZ]

19. K and R

[leftstreet]

20. K&R

[Bluebear]

21. PUMAS! Bashers! Faux outrage!

:crazy:

[Norrin Radd]

22. The fact alone, that he works for CNN, is telling enough.

[Enthusiast]

25. Yes it is, telling enough.

The station of Glenn Beck, Lou Dobbs and Nancy Grace. Ideologs with an agenda, one and all.

[Enthusiast]

23. Rec! I have already written PE Obama

about this very issue. This is one of many areas that need serious reform. This is partially why Obama was elected. Dr. Sanjay Gupta is a shill for industry profits and does not represent the CHANGE Americans voted for.

[me b zola]

24. K&R

[anitar1]

26. K & R n/t

[dcindian]

27. But he has good teeth!

I think this explains the number one grip about the pick.

[stlsaxman]

28. my letter to change . gov...

Dear Senator Obama,

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN's chief medical correspondent, for the position of U.S. surgeon general is deeply troubling.

PLEASE- for the sake of everything humane- remove this corporate shill from nomination. Dr. Sanjay Gupta has ears only for the concerns of Big Pharma and insurance companies and is vehemently anti single-payer.

If Dr. Sanjay Gupta becomes the surgeon general- how many more lives and families will be torn apart simply because they can not afford medical care?

WE must change this NOW! This is why we elected you and Senator Biden.

Hoping I'm being heard,

"stlsaxman"

[biopowertoday]

30. I sent a similar one. Hoping I am heard

[madrchsod]

31. sent my two cents worth in...

maybe if enough people do they will reconsider...but i`m not holding my breathe they will.

[madrchsod]

32. maybe they have`t listened to dr dean edell

over 6 million people do in the usa....



http://www.premiereradio.com/shows/view/Dr_Dean_Edell.html


http://www.alexa.com/data/details/traffic_details/healthcentral.com

[QC]

34. Yeah, but what would a bunch of doctors know about this?

They must just hate Obama. Or they're jealous. Or something.

:sarcasm:

[AtomicKitten]

35. Ouch!

Can't say I much care about this appointment in the bigger scheme of things, but as always it's fun watching the sharp elbows jockeying for position!

[Number23]

36. Thank you for posting this. I had no idea there was outrage from legitimate circles over Gupta

[fadedrose]

38. Sent the email......as requested......nt

[JFKfanforever]

39. Excellent...

We need a liberal, progressive SG to enact "change we can
believe in."  SG is not the right man to be the next SG!

[LWolf]

40. GOOD. nt