DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE

 

PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE WASHINGTON a5, D.C.

 

Refer to:

Dear Mr, Fogerty:

I have been very pleased to learn that you have been nominated
$0 serve as Congressional Advisor to the United States Delegation to
the Twelfth World Health Assembly which convenes in Geneve on May le.
As you know, the Assenibly is the legislative body of the World Health
Orgenization at which the 88 member states of the Organization are
represented.

The World Health Organization is without question one of the
most effective agencies on the world scene. It is providing leadership
and support to coordinated programs for the control and, im some cases,
the eradication of such widespread diseases as malaria, tuberculosis,
leprosy, yaws and smallpox. At the same time, it is giving forceful
and clearesighted leadership to the development of international
cooperation in medical research, increasing our expectancy of resolving
fundamental problems in such difficult fields as cancer and heart
disease.

The United States, by virtue of the unique position it holds in
the forefront of world medicine, plays a significant role in the
deliberations and decisions of the World Health Assembly. ‘This year
the Assembly will be dealing with a number of issues that will heave a
profound effect on world health and which will raise questions as to
the degree and level of support thet each member, including the United
States, will be able to give to the Orgenization in ensuing years.
These issues include the role of WHO in intensified medical research
on & world basis: the successful. prosecution of the malaria eradication
campaign; and the design of an International Health and Medical Research
Year.

In view of your profound understanding of the importance of
health in the social and economic structure, and your broad knowledge
in this field, your counsel will be invaluable to the Delegation. I
Den

recall very clearly your constructive participation two years ago.

Apart from the World Health Organization, the Public Health
Service has other important interests in Europe. Chief among these
are the European offices of our foreign quarantine service, and our
relations with European scientists and research institutions. These
interests have come into the foreground recently. An outbreak of
smallpox in Germany last winter, which was successfully blocked from
entry into the United States, underlined the importance of the mainte-
nance of effective quarantine operations abroad. The significance of
international cooperation in medical research has been highlighted by
the consideration in the Congress of the farsighted legislation, which
you have introduced in the House of Representatives, that would enable
the United States to provide greater support to research on a world
basis.

I hope that it will be possible for you to find time while in
Europe to study the quarantine service and give us the value of your
counsel in regard to it. Also, I hope that you will be able to visit
some of the great research institutes of Europe and meet scientists
with whom we are working through joint research, grants and training
programs. I know that you would find this to be of the greatest interest
and a visit from you would do much to stimulate and advance the effective
relations between the scientists of these institutes and our ow sclen~
tists. I know such visits would be welcomed by the health authorities
of the countries as an evidence of the interest and sincerity of the
United States in promoting the progress of medicine on a world basis.

We in the Public Health Service will be delighted to assist you
in plaming your visit to Europe in order to make it as productive of
internatimal good will and medical progress as I know you wish it to
be.

Sincerely yours,

PER

 

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Surgeon General a

Hon. John E. Fogarty
United States House of Representatives
Washington 25, D. C.