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Susan Blumenthal, M.D.
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Rear Admiral Susan J. Blumenthal, M.D., M.P.A. provided distinguished service for over twenty years as a leading national U.S. government health expert and spokesperson. She served as Assistant Surgeon General of the United States, as the first ever Deputy Assistant Secretary for Women's Health, and as Senior Global and E-Health Advisor, in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. She also was a White House advisor on health issues. Dr Blumenthal has served as the top medical advisor to the Secretary of the US Department of Agriculture, and as Chief of the Behavioral Medicine and Basic Prevention Research Branch at the National Institutes of Health. She is currently the Director of the Health and Medicine Program at the Center for the Study of the Presidency where she co-chairs its Health Commission, a Clinical Professor at Georgetown and Tufts Schools of Medicine, and Chair of the Global Health Program at the Meridian International Center. She also is the Senior Policy and Medical Advisor at amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research.

Dr. Blumenthal has served as Distinguished Visiting Professor of Women's Studies at Brandeis University, as a Visiting Professor at the Mayo Clinic and Stanford University in Washington and as a Fellow at Harvard University's School of Government. A champion for improving health, she has done pioneering work in advancing women's health. An international leader in advancing global health, she has been a major force in the response to pandemic flu, bioterrorism, and emerging disease threats including obesity, the chronic disease epidemic, mental illness, cancer, AIDS, suicide and violence prevention. Admiral Blumenthal has been at the forefront of national efforts to achieve effectiveness, efficiency and equity in the US health care system and to emphasize the power of prevention. She has been a pioneer in internet medicine establishing several of the government's leading, award winning health websites. Admiral Blumenthal has chaired numerous national and international health commissions, committees and conferences. She served as the host and medical director of an award winning television series on health and as the health columnist for US News and World Report and Elle magazines. Dr. Blumenthal is on the Board of Directors of several philanthropic and educational institutions including Save the Children, Stanford in Washington and the Meridian International Center.

Named by the Medical Herald and the National Library of Medicine as one of the most influential and important women in medicine and by the New York Times as one of the top doctors in the women's health field, Admiral Blumenthal is the recipient of numerous awards, medals and honorary doctorates for her landmark contributions to improving health. She was named the 2009 Health Leader of the Year by the Commissioned Officers Association, its highest honor.

For more information, visit susan-blumenthal.org, or 4globalhealth.org.

Blog Entries by Susan Blumenthal, M.D.

Saving the Lives of Women Worldwide

(0) Comments | Posted May 12, 2013 | 11:06 AM

Written in collaboration with Annie Chen, M.P.H, M.B.A

Mother's Day is a celebration of life and reflects the importance of women to their families, communities and countries. However, worldwide HIV/AIDS robs women and girls of their potential and health. Historically, women have been neglected in HIV/AIDS research, treatment, and prevention...

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Earth Day: How to Spin Toward a Healthier, Greener Planet

(0) Comments | Posted April 22, 2013 | 12:32 PM

By Susan Blumenthal, M.D., and Yi-An Ko

Today marks the 43rd anniversary of Earth Day. This year, the Earth Day Network has launched a global digital campaign -- The Faces of Global Climate Change -- that uses social media to highlight in photos the impact of climate change worldwide. These...

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World AIDS Day 2012: A Roadmap for Ending HIV/AIDS

(0) Comments | Posted December 1, 2012 | 8:28 AM

Written in collaboration with Melissa Shive

Now more than ever, this year's World AIDS Day marks unprecedented progress toward ending HIV/AIDS and providing proof that investments in research, treatment, and prevention are yielding lifesaving dividends. While there still remain significant challenges in achieving a world without AIDS, we now have...

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Health Care Reform: How It Benefits Women

(0) Comments | Posted October 11, 2012 | 10:05 AM

Written in Collaboration with Jessica Ho and Anita Mathews

Writing A National Prescription to Improve Women's Health

Historically, women have experienced discrimination in terms of their health despite making 80 percent of health care decisions for their families, using more medical services than men, and suffering greater disability...

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Stopping the Surge of Military Suicides: How to Win This Preventable War

(0) Comments | Posted September 14, 2012 | 2:19 PM

Written in Collaboration with George Maliha and Anita Mathews

George Washington once said that "the willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive the Veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by...

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Healing America's Health Care System

(0) Comments | Posted August 3, 2012 | 12:34 PM

Written in Collaboration with Jenny Shelby

Not all threats to our nation are overseas. Within our own borders, enemies such as chronic and infectious diseases, as well as rising medical costs, threaten individuals, families, communities, and the national security of our country. Health care costs constitute 18 percent...

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The Olympics' Mixed Messaging on Health

(0) Comments | Posted August 1, 2012 | 2:55 PM

Written in collaboration with Helen Knight

As the 2012 London Olympic Games continue this week, the world is coming together in a majestic cultural capital to celebrate athletic achievements made possible by extraordinary physical health. The opening ceremony on Friday night was extremely memorable and meaningful as well as creative...

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Making AIDS History: Achieving an HIV-Free Generation

(0) Comments | Posted July 23, 2012 | 12:05 PM

Written in collaboration with Michelle Moses-Eisenstein, M.P.H.

This week marks the return of the International AIDS Conference to the United States for the first time in more than two decades. From July 22-27, The International AIDS Society will convene more than 25,000 delegates from nearly 200 countries in...

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Weighing in on Sugary Beverages and Obesity

(0) Comments | Posted June 26, 2012 | 11:57 AM

Written in Collaboration with Jenny Shelby

Contained in one 20-ounce bottle of soda are 65 grams of sugar. This is equivalent to the sugar content of nearly three two-ounce chocolate candy bars or approximately 22 packets of table sugar. It is hard to imagine anyone adding 22 packets...

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Obesity: America's Next Great National Security Threat?

(0) Comments | Posted June 8, 2012 | 12:42 PM

Written in collaboration with George Maliha

Napoleon Bonaparte famously quipped that "an army marches on its stomach." Unfortunately, as America's obesity epidemic grows, Napoleon's warning may prove literally true. While obesity is traditionally considered a public health and medical issue, the rapid increase in the national prevalence of...

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Overcoming Stigma and Improving Mental Health in America

(0) Comments | Posted May 25, 2012 | 4:45 PM

Written in collaboration with Deepa Kannappan

Although an estimated 44 million adults and 13.7 million children in America have a diagnosable mental disorder each year, the issue of mental health remains surrounded by stigma and misunderstanding. This May marks the 63rd anniversary of Mental Health Month, but the...

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The Weight of the Nation

(0) Comments | Posted May 15, 2012 | 1:31 PM

Written in collaboration with Elena Hoffnagle

Last week, obesity took center stage in Washington, D.C. with the conference "The Weight of the Nation," sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that convened researchers, advocates and clinicians to tackle the epidemic facing our country today. Tonight, HBO will...

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Poverty And Obesity: Breaking The Link

(82) Comments | Posted April 11, 2012 | 2:39 PM

Written in collaboration with Jean Guo

There is finally a glimmer of hope in the fight against obesity, a critical public health and economic crisis burdening our nation. After several decades of steep upswings, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently reported that obesity rates in the U.S....

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National Public Health Week 2012: Toward a Healthier Nation

(0) Comments | Posted April 6, 2012 | 9:59 AM

By Susan J. Blumenthal, M.D.
Written in Collaboration with Daranee Yongpradit

This year's theme for National Public Health Week (April 2-8), A Healthier America Begins Today: Join the Movement, focuses attention on five key issues for public health: 1) active living and healthy eating; 2) alcohol, tobacco and other...

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World Tuberculosis Day 2012: Stopping Tuberculosis in Our Lifetimes

(0) Comments | Posted March 24, 2012 | 11:13 AM

By Susan Blumenthal, M.D, M.P.A.
Written in collaboration with Yoonhee Ha, M.Sc.

This Saturday, March 24 is World Tuberculosis Day, marking the 130th anniversary of Dr. Robert Koch's discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the microbe that causes tuberculosis. This year, the Stop TB Partnership, an international collaborative of...

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World on Track to Meet MDG Safe Water Target, But Challenges Remain

(0) Comments | Posted March 22, 2012 | 10:07 AM

By Susan Blumenthal, M.D.
Written in collaboration with Kirstin Krusell

Safe and sustainable drinking water is essential for the health and economic well-being of the world's population, and yet 99 percent of the world's water supply is unsafe or unavailable to drink. Despite the challenges this...

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Debunking Myths About Food Stamps

(0) Comments | Posted March 9, 2012 | 12:08 PM

By Susan Blumenthal, M.D.
Written in collaboration with Sejal Patel

Food insecurity in America is a major public health concern that has increased significantly during the recent economic recession. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, is the federal government's largest food...

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International Women's Day 2012: Advancing Women's Health

(0) Comments | Posted March 8, 2012 | 5:10 PM

By Susan Blumenthal, M.D.
Written in Collaboration with Jean Guo

With 3.4 billion women worldwide, women's health is a global issue today. Yet, societal and environmental factors including poverty, discrimination, and violence are undermining the advancement of women's health. For example, more than two-thirds of the world's refugees...

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Go Red: Raising Awareness About Heart Disease in Women

(0) Comments | Posted February 3, 2012 | 7:12 AM

By Susan Blumenthal, M.D. and Beth Hoffman

Today, Friday Feb. 3rd, National Wear Red Day, put on your favorite red sweater, dress or T-shirt and join in efforts to raise awareness about the No. 1 killer of women in America: heart disease.

While heart disease has long been considered...

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Health and the Holidays

(0) Comments | Posted December 24, 2011 | 11:50 PM

By Susan Blumenthal, M.D. and Beth Hoffman

The holidays are a time for celebrating with family and friends. As we reflect on the things that we are most thankful for this holiday season, don't forget the importance of good health! While the holidays are brimming with joy and happiness...

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