Obama Administration: Regina Benjamin Surgeon General Nominee – Having it Our Way

According The Associated Press and The Washington Times, Dr. Benjamin has been “working part-time as a scientific adviser to the fast-food giant that sells sandwiches like the Whopper and BK Triple Stacker.”  Since last year, she has been paid $10,000 for serving on a scientific advisory board for Burger King according to newly filed public financial disclosures. Burger King officials said she served on the company's nutritional advisory panel, as part of "ongoing efforts to promote balanced diets and active lifestyle choices."  This is a perfect example of how experience with industry works for patients.

Her input for reducing unhealthy foods and promoting health foods will be a tremendous example for physicians, students, and families all over the country.

Ms. Rivas-Vazquez, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services noted that Dr. Benjamin worked on "advocating for food options that were lower in sodium and recommending that nutritional information appear on food packaging."  Again, these experiences give Dr. Benjamin a unique opportunity, if confirmed as Surgeon General, to help fight obesity, overweight Americans, and childhood obesity. It is due to the very nature of being able to see how industry considers health, that her experience is commendable, and valuable to her future position.

Dr. Benjamin is a great candidate for Surgeon General. Critics, Americans and other public health officials, should recognize that her work with industry is important, and use our favorite saying: not all interests are conflicts. Seeing how childhood and adult obesity, as well as weight problems for America, will plague this country in the near future (probably worse than our economy), Dr. Benjamin’s experience with Burger King reminds industry that we can truly “Have it Our Way.”