Surgeon-General Silenced

Dr. Richard Carmona, a former surgeon-general who served until 2006, is revealing that Bush administration often silenced him on national health concerns that didn’t flatter the Bush administration. Carmona announced that he wasn’t allowed to speak on stem cells, emergency contraception, sex ed, and that officials tried to water down a report on second-hand smoke.

"Much of the discussion was being driven by theology, ideology, [and] preconceived beliefs that were scientifically incorrect," said Carmona. "I thought, 'This is a perfect example of the surgeon general being able to step forward, educate the American public.' . . . I was blocked at every turn. I was told the decision had already been made -- 'Stand down. Don't talk about it.' That information was removed from my speeches."

Carmona also says he was “discouraged” from attending the Special Olympics because of that organization's ties to a the Kennedys, and that he wasn’t allowed to present the effectiveness of teaching about condoms as well as sexual abstinence.

According to The Washington Post, last year a NASA scientist and other climate researchers claimed the administration made it difficult for them to speak “in a forthright manner” about global warning.

Carmona said that when the administration touted funding for abstinence-only education, he was prevented from discussing research on the effectiveness of teaching about condoms as well as abstinence.

"There was already a policy in place that did not want to hear the science but wanted to just preach abstinence, which I felt was scientifically incorrect," Carmona said.

While the Bush administration regularly puts theology ahead of science, this political interference in public health concerns has a human cost. We may have to wait until a Democratic president is elected to learn the full extent of the damage.

While the surgeon-general was denied the ability to protect the nation's health he was encouraged to speak on a less pressing subject; Carmona says he was ordered to praise President Bush three times on every page of his speeches.

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