Public Health In The Wrong Hands
Because one of my closest friends is a public health researcher, I know a bit about the years of suffering (uh, training) that go into getting a Ph.D. in the field and maintaining continuing expertise. That's why, to say I was horrified when I read who's in charge of managing any public health emergencies due to the Asian flu, is putting it mildly. Jessica Heslam has the story here:

As the United States braces for a possible avian flu pandemic, the federal government's point man on the deadly virus is coming under fire.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary for Public Health Emergency Preparedness Stewart Simonson lacks a medical or public health management background. He received a bachelor of arts degree in 1986 and a law degree in 1994 from the University of Wisconsin, and worked as legal counsel to Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson from 1995 to 1999 before following his boss to Washington when Thompson was tapped to be Health and Human Services secretary. According to his HHS bio, Simonson previously served as corporate secretary and counsel for Amtrak.

Simonson's record sparks concerns as flu fears spike.

"If the avian flu were to hit here, it would be like having a Category 5 viral hurricane hit every single state simultaneously,'' said Shelley Hearne, director of the nonprofit Trust for America's Health, yesterday.

To some, Simonson's resume is disturbingly reminiscent of that of disgraced former Federal Emergency Management Agency director Michael Brown.

"I'm concerned with what I see as a lack of field experience in Mr. Simonson's background,'' said Massachusetts Rep. Peter J. Koutoujian (D-Waltham), the house chairman of the public health committee.

"We saw this with the former FEMA director. It looks on paper to be a political appointment. There were massive problems with that operation,'' Koutoujian said.

Does this guy even know how to read a study or coordinate large-scale response to a public health emergency? There's more to this than simply going to the right law school and having a bit of common sense.