21st U.S. Surgeon General Writes His “Parting Prescription”

On January 7, United States Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released his Parting Prescription for America. The 19th and 21st U.S. Surgeon General writes that the sense of community in the U.S. has eroded, with alarming consequences. Murthy attributes this partly to technology, of which he says “despite all its benefits, has trapped many of us in digital silos with less face-to-face contact.”

“Throughout his service, the Surgeon General has sought to understand the root causes of pain and unhappiness felt across our country,” a press release by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) notes. “As a physician, Dr. Murthy believes that health is about more than tests and medications: it includes taking time to listen and focus on the whole person. As America’s Doctor, he has taken a similar approach with the nation.”

“The fracturing of community in America is driving a deeper spiritual crisis that threatens our fundamental well-being,” Dr. Vivek Murthy shares. “It is fueling not only illness and despair on an individual level, but also pessimism and distrust across society which have all made it painfully difficult to rise together in response to common challenges.”

“Today, we are faced with a profound choice: do we continue with the status quo, marked by pain, disconnection, and division? Or do we choose a different path—one of joy, health, and fulfillment, where we turn toward each other instead of away from each other; where we choose love over fear; where we recognize community as the irreplaceable foundation for our well-being?” Murthy writes, “As I finish my tenure as Surgeon General, this is my parting prescription, my final wish for all of us: choose community.”

The Surgeon General concludes: “It is up to us to reject the pessimism and animosity of our time and instead choose courage and hope. The choice we make to build community has the power to change lives and transform society. Let us never forget that good people with hearts full of love can change the world.”

As the Nation’s Doctor, the 21st Surgeon General of the United States, Dr. Murthy, has launched Surgeon General’s initiatives on Alcohol and Cancer Risk, Tobacco Disparities, The Mental Health and Well-Being of Parents, Firearm Violence, Loneliness and Isolation, Social Media and Youth Mental Health, Youth Mental Health, Health Worker Well-Being, and Workplace Well-Being.