Outgoing US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has offered the US a “parting prescription”. The document was released on Tuesday.
“As I conclude my term as Surgeon General, this is my parting prescription and my final wish for all of us: choose our communities,” Murthy said in a written statement. First reported by People magazine Above.
“It's not always easy. It will require rethinking and, in some cases, rejecting conventional wisdom that defines success and the good life,” Murthy added.
Murthy served as Surgeon General in the Obama, Trump, and Biden administrations before being fired by President-elect Trump in 2017. At the time, Murthy's firing prompted accusations from Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.). It is said that then-President Trump was using the general position of a surgeon for political purposes.
President-elect Trump has nominated former Fox News contributor and physician Janet Neshewat to be the next administration's surgeon general candidate. In a November press release, President Trump said Neshewat had “an unwavering commitment to saving and treating thousands of American lives.”
In his farewell prescription, Marcy said that community provides a “powerful source of life satisfaction and longevity,” and went on to say that community's “core pillars: relationships, service, and purpose are fulfilling.” “It is a powerful driving force that brings about a sense of purpose.”
“They can also have a significant impact on health outcomes such as early death, heart disease, depression and anxiety,” he added.
Despite Murthy's urging of Americans to choose their communities, a recent Gallup poll found that most Americans expect political conflict and economic hardship in 2025. , we found that these two factors can easily drive a wedge into the community-building process.
A Gallup poll found that 76% of respondents expected continued political conflict over cooperation this year, and 56% said the new year would bring economic hardship rather than prosperity.
