(RxWiki News) He’s probably the most famous Surgeon General who ever served this country. Dr. C. Everett Koop has died at the age of 96. The cause of his death is unknown.
Dr. Koop, who was nominated by Ronald Reagan in 1981, will probably best be remembered for having frank, public discussions about AIDS. He sent a brochure entitled “Understanding AIDS” to every household in America in 1988.
As with most topics, though, Dr. Koop didn’t flinch from the facts. His mission was to do whatever was necessary to ensure the public health and safety of American citizens.
He was also a tireless anti-smoking advocate. Dr. Koop was one of the first to say that smoking was a preventable cause of some 30 percent of all cancers.
The deep-voiced man was always seen in military-looking garb, punctuated by epaulets. The blue and white uniforms signified his leadership of the commissioned corps of the US Public Health Service.
Dr. Koop was known for surprises.
Anthony S. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, who was Dr. Koop’s chief tutor in AIDS matters and a close friend, was quoted in the Washington Post as saying, “People expected one thing and they not only got another thing, they got someone who was amazingly effective.”
After serving as US Surgeon General, Dr. Koop became involved in a number of health-related endeavors.
dailyRx publisher, Donald Hackett, worked with him on the design, launch and operation of one of the first Internet health websites – DrKoop.com. When asked, Hackett said, “Dr. Koop was a great American. He will be missed"
Dr. Koop died in his home in Hanover, New Hampshire.
