On February 6, the Penn Leonard Davis Institute for Health Economics held a policy seminar with Admiral Rachel Levine, assistant secretary of health for the United States.
Rachel Levine, assistant secretary for health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, spoke about how HHS is addressing public health issues at an event at the Penn Leonard Davis Institute for Health Economics.
Levine, who also heads the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Forces, is the first openly transgender person to be confirmed by the Senate at the federal level. More than 50 students and faculty attended Levine's policy seminar on February 6th.
Mr. Levine previously served as Pennsylvania's Surgeon General and Secretary of Health. She played a role in the state's mitigation policies at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the seminar, Levine discussed the creation of a new long-term novel coronavirus research and practice office within HHS and the Syphilis Task Force to address the recent significant increase in syphilis cases in the United States, making it one of the top priorities. He suggested that the first step is to consider its impact. She sees climate change from a health equity perspective as disproportionately impacting communities of color.
Mr. Levine also works on policy initiatives to address health equity issues for the LGBTQIA+ community, including the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Data Action Plan.
“LGBTQIA+ issues have become highly politicized, with extreme laws specifically targeting transgender and non-binary communities,” Levine told seminar attendees, adding that Florida’s “gay and “Don't say that,” he said, referring to the bill, which has been criticized. Limit classroom discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity.
Aidan Crowley, a third-year medical doctorate student and PennLDI associate fellow, said PennLDI's policy-oriented seminars helped him apply his research to solving real-world questions.
“It will be very helpful to hear from a federal perspective and top-down thought process on issues that are high priorities for her department,” Crowley said.
Admiral Levine spoke with the Daily Pennsylvanian after the seminar to discuss how various public health issues are impacting college students.
Levine said some of the most important public health issues facing college students include climate change, reproductive rights (especially in the wake of the Supreme Court's reversal of Roe v. Wade), and health equity for communities of color and LGBTQ+ communities. He said it includes gender. She emphasized the responsibility of young people to drive change on these issues.
“Advocacy doesn't just happen in Washington…advocacy at the local and state level is just as important, if not more so,” Levine said.
Levine also discussed mental health issues on college campuses, suggesting that a public health approach is to focus on the contributing factors to mental health problems faced by young people, including factors that lead to suicide and addiction. did.
Levine also spoke about the importance of Narcan, a naloxone product that is the most common treatment for opioid overdoses. As of 2023, it is approved for over-the-counter use, a change that Wellness at Penn and MERT describe as a “positive step.” Penn MERT regularly offers training sessions on how to properly use Narcan.
Levin said naloxone should be available in dorms, restaurants and other locations around campus, adding that he worked with Bonnie Milas, a physician at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, to make naloxone more accessible on campus. .
While emphasizing the importance of addiction treatment, recovery and prevention efforts, Dr. Levin said naloxone remains an important tool to combat the overdose crisis.
“I've always said it's impossible for a deceased person to receive treatment and recover,” Levine said.
Levine said HHS is currently advocating for fentanyl and xylazine test strips and syringe service programs such as Prevention Point Philadelphia.
Levin also spoke about COVID-19, saying that although the acute phase of COVID-19 is over, infection and mortality rates are still too high. She recommended that the best thing people can do is get vaccinated against COVID-19, describing recent updates as “very safe and very effective.”
Levine concluded by encouraging students interested in the medical and public health fields to consider the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioning Corps. The force is a team of uniformed personnel who work in the medical and public health fields to benefit disadvantaged communities across the United States.
