Lessons from America’s Former Top Doctor – from Covid to the Opioid Crisis

The Princeton Pulse Podcast

This episode of the Princeton Pulse Podcast takes us to the front lines of the Covid-19 pandemic and other public health crises with Dr. Jerome Adams, former Surgeon General of the United States.

Serving as the “nation’s doctor” during the height of the pandemic, and as a member of the President’s Coronavirus Task Force, Dr. Adams was an integral part of the U.S. response to Covid-19. A public health expert and key spokesperson for the administration, he was uniquely responsible for not only understanding the science related to Covid-19, but for also relaying accurate, trusted information to American families as the virus rapidly evolved and spread around the world -- and misinformation spread just as rapidly as researchers tried to keep pace.
Now out of public office, Dr. Adams is Executive Director of Health Equity Initiatives and Distinguished Professor of Practice at Purdue University. He also authored a new book called “Crisis and Chaos: Lessons From the Front Lines of the War Against Covid-19.”

Host Heather Howard, a professor at Princeton University and former New Jersey Commissioner of Health and Senior Services, welcomes Dr. Adams to the show to talk about his successes and missteps as Surgeon General. They discuss the importance of depoliticizing public health, improving science and health literacy, preventing misinformation, and preparing for the next public health crisis. They also delve into his experiences as Indiana’s Health Commissioner, including the state’s response to the opioid crisis.
Read a related Op-Ed authored by Heather Howard and Brontë Nevins, MPA ’24, Princeton’s School of Public and International Affairs:
“Learning From Past Disasters to Help Covid Long Haulers”
Read about related research conducted by SPIA faculty members:
SPIA Faculty Study Pandemic’s Impact on Asian American Health, Long Covid | Princeton School of Public and International Affairs
The Princeton Pulse Podcast is a production of Princeton University's Center for Health and Wellbeing (CHW). The show is hosted by Heather Howard, a professor at Princeton University and former New Jersey Commissioner of Health and Senior Services, produced by Aimee Bronfeld, and edited by Alex Brownstein. You can subscribe to The Princeton Pulse Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you enjoy your favorite podcasts.