NCL applauds confirmation of Dr. Murthy as ‘Nation’s Top Doctor’ – National Consumers League
December 16, 2014
Contact: Ben Klein, National Consumers League, benk@nclnet.org, (202) 835-3323
Washington, DC – The nation’s oldest consumer advocacy organization is lauding the confirmation of Dr. Vivek Murthy as U.S. Surgeon General after a 17-month political battle. On Monday, the Senate voted 51-43 to confirm Murthy to a post that had been vacant since July 2013. The National Consumers League (NCL), the nation’s pioneering consumer advocacy organization, works closely with the Surgeon General’s office on a variety of public health policy initiatives.
“Murthy, a great public health champion, is a strong advocate for the Affordable Care Act and, like the majority of Americans, for including reasonable gun policies as part of our nation’s health agenda. This vote was long overdue. Dr. Murthy is a widely respected physician and public health expert who can nobly fill the duties of the office of the Surgeon General. He is a leader, innovator, and entrepreneur in promoting public health,” said Sally Greenberg, NCL executive director. “For more than a year, many in Congress held the Surgeon General post hostage as confirmation votes were continuously delayed. We are pleased to have an ally and highly qualified public health expert occupying post as important as the nation’s top doctor.”
The National Consumers League has worked closely with the Surgeon General on medication adherence through its Script Your Future medication adherence campaign. Then-acting Surgeon General Rear Admiral Boris Lushniak spoke at the Script Your Future annual meeting in Washington, DC this November.
“Americans are fortunate to have someone of Dr. Murthy’s passion, creativity, and effectiveness in the job as Surgeon General,” said Greenberg. “We look forward to his tenure, to our continued joint work on medication adherence, and to supporting Dr. Murthy’s current and future initiatives as Surgeon General.”
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About the National Consumers League
The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.
