Oral history transcript, James A. Shannon, interview 1 (I), 4/9/1969, by Stephen Goodell

Title:

Oral history transcript, James A. Shannon, interview 1 (I), 4/9/1969, by Stephen Goodell

Number of Pages:

57

Description:

Biographical information; the history of medical research in the United States and other countries; Public Law 480 funds; the benefits of international collaboration in medical research; the contributions of Congressman John Fogarty to health programs; the John E. Fogarty International Center for Advanced Study; working with the Bureau of the Budget to obtain funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH); Surgeon General Leonard Scheele's assessment of NIH's work and agreement to increase funding; Marion Folsom and Arthur Fleming as secretaries of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW); changes in NIH under Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy; HEW Secretaries Oveta Culp Hobby, Marion Folsom, Abraham Ribicoff, Anthony Celebrezze, and John Gardner, and their budgetary frustrations; government's failure to follow through with a plan to fund and improve medical research and education; obstacles to analysis, comparison, and cooperation of NIH programs; disenchantment and unrest among university students; the problems presidents have when they choose to operate by consensus and not fight unpopular battles; Shannon's proposals for science and education; the role of the Board of Economic Advisers; the Office of Science and Technology (OST) and the President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC); the effects of Sputnik and the Vietnam War on medical and education programs; the Commission on Heart, Cancer and Stroke; trip to Washington, DC, to present the Commission's report to JFK; the reorganization of the Commission in the LBJ Administration and the implementation of some of its recommendations; problems with establishing regional medical programs; LBJ's advisers on health issues and the need for NIH to defend its work; NIH's "The Advancement of Knowledge for the Nation's Health" report and its effect on LBJ; scientific research's dependence on government funding; Public Health Service reorganizations in 1966 and 1968; problems with Surgeon General William Stewart; the organization of HEW in 1969; the 1964 Surgeon General's report linking smoking and cancer; whether or not government agencies should be involved in propagandizing the public regarding health issues such as smoking.

Contributor:

Shannon, James A.

Collection:

LBJ Library Oral Histories

Collection Description:

Go to List of Holdings

Series:

Transcripts of LBJ Library Oral Histories

See Also:

See all online interviews with James A. Shannon

Relation:

Go to Interviewee bio page

Rights:

Possibly copyright restricted: see deed at end of transcript for details