REMARKS BY

C. EVERETT KOOP, M.D., SC.D.
    SURGEON GENERAL
U.S. PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE

AT

    CENTENNIAL SYMPOSIUM
PROMOTING HEALTH/PREVENTING DISEASE
  100 YEARS AND STILL SERVING

JANUARY 6, 1989

UNIFORMED SERVICES UNIVERSITY
  OF THE HEALTH SCIENCES

BETHESDA, MD


THE CENTENNIAL SYMPOSIUM

A CENTURY OF SERVICE WITH DISTINCTION --

AND STILL SERVING

  AS I PREVIEWED THE AGENDA FOR THE 2 DAYS

OF THIS CENTENNIAL SYMPOSIUM, I WAS REMINDED,

ONCE AGAIN, OF THE VAST BREADTH AND DEPTH OF

THE UNITED STATES PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE.

FROM THE FRONTIERS OF LABORATORY SCIENCE

TO THE FRONTLINES OF SERVICE DELIVERY, THE


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MISSION OF THE USPHS CONTINUES TO BE THE


IMPROVEMENT AND ENHANCEMENT OF THE HEALTH OF


ALL CITIZENS.

   SINCE ITS FOUNDING BY PRESIDENT JOHN


ADAMS IN 1798, THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE HAS


BEEN THE SYMBOL OF THE NATION'S EFFORT TO


PROTECT PEOPLE FROM DISEASE. INTEGRAL TO


THIS MOVEMENT HAS BEEN THE COMMISSIONED


CORPS, A CADRE OF CAREER OFFICERS


REPRESENTING THOSE HEALTH PROFESSIONS THAT


ARE ESSENTIAL TO MEETING THE CHALLENGES OF A


GROWING NATION.


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TO ACCOMPLISH THIS MISSION, PHS PROGRAMS

ARE DESIGNED -a- :

0 TO DEVELOP KNOWLEDGE THROUGH BIOMEDICAL,

BEHAVIORAL AND HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH,

  LEADING TO THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT

  OF DISEASE

0 TO CONTROL AND PREVENT DISEASE

0  TO IMPROVE THE MENTAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEM


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0  TO ASSURE SAFE AND EFFECTIVE DRUGS AND

  HEALTHFUL FOODS

0 AND TO EXPAND HEALTH RESOURCES.

TODAY'S PROGRAM TAKES ITS ROOTS FROM

HEALTHY PEOPLE: THE SURGEON GENERAL'S REPORT

ON HEALTH PROMOTION AND DISEASE PREVENTION,

ISSUED IN 1979 BY MY PREDECESSOR, DR. JULIUS

RICHMOND. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY OBJECTIVES OF

THE NATION WHICH I'M DELIGHTED TO SAY HAS

EEEN iNSTITUTION.ALIZED -- WE ARE NOW SETTING

GOALS FOR 2000.


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   HEALTHY PEOPLE WAS A CALL FOR A SECOND

PUBLIC HEALTH REVOLUTION AND IT CONTINUES AS

A CHALLENGE FOR OUR NATIONAL COMMITMENT TO

GOOD PERSONAL HEALTH HABITS.

   NEXT WEEK I WILL RELEASE THE 25TH

ANNIVERSARY SURGEON GENERAL'S REPORT ON

SMOKING AND HEALTH.

  AS YOU KNOW, THE ILL EFFECTS OF SMOKING

ON AN INDIVIDUAL'S HEALTH IS A PARTICULAR

CONCERN OF MINE. THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST

SMOKING IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT DEMONSTRATES


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THAT WE CAN REVERSE THE TRENDS OF A DEEPLY

INGRAINED AND PUBLICLY SANCTIONED BEHAVIOR,

TO SAY NOTHING OF AN ADDICTION, IF WE MAKE A

CONCERTED EFFORT TO INFORM AND EDUCATE THE


PUBLIC.

   IT ALSO DEMONSTRATES THE COST

EFFECTIVENESS OF PREVENTION. ACCORDING TO

THE OFFICE OF TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT, IF JUST

ONE HEAVY SMOKER QUITS, SOCIETY SAVES BETWEEN

$9,000 AND $41,000. IN FACT, IT HAS BEEN

SAID THAT MAKING THIS A SMOKE-FREE NATION MAY

HAVE AS GREAT AN IMPACT ON HEALTH CARE COSTS

AS ANY OTHER SINGLE HEALTH INITIATIVE.


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  WE ARE'IN THE PROCESS OF EVALUATING HOW

WE'VE DONE WITH RESPECT TO THOSE GOALS AND

OBJECTIVES THAT WE SET FOR OURSELVES IN 1980

TO ACCOMPLISH BY 1990.

0  WE HOPE TO REDUCE INFANT MORTALITY TO

  FEWER THAN 9 DEATHS PER 1,000 LIVE

BIRTHS.

0  TO IMPROVE CHILD HEALTH AND REDUCE DEATHS

  AMONG CHILDREN AGES 1 TO 14 TO FEWER THAN

  93 PER 100,000.


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0   TO REDUCE THE DEATHS AMONG PEOPLE AGES 25


  TO 64 TO FEWER THAN 400 PER 100,000.

0  AND, FOR OLDER ADULTS, TO REDUCE THE


  AVERAGE ANNUAL NUMBER OF DAYS OF


  RESTRICTED ACTIVITY DUE TO ACUTE AND


  CHRONIC CONDITIONS TO FEWER THAN 30 DAYS


  PER YEAR.

   WHILE THE FIRST CENTURIES OF THE PUB-LIC


HEALTH SERVICE WERE NOTEWORTHY BECAUSE IT


OVERCAME AND CONTROLLED THE SPREAD OF


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COMMUNICABLE DISEASES, THE HEALTH PROBLEMS OF

THE COMING THIRD CENTURY WILL NEED TO ADDRESS

ISSUES WHICH REQUIRE THE PARTICIPATION OF AN

INFORMED AND HEALTH-CONSCIOUS CITIZENRY.

BUT YOU WILL PROVIDE THE GUIDELINES. IN

THIS ENDEAVOR, I WISH YOU GOD SPEED -- AND

HAVE A GREAT MEETING.