In its nearly 180-year history, the American Medical Association has committed to being "a physicians’ powerful ally in patient care."

Whether in the operating room or the halls of Congress, the AMA says its mission is to remove obstacles and take the lead for the betterment of public health.

Soon, leading the AMA will become the responsibility of a board-certified physician who has many ties to Atlanta. On this edition of Closer Look, Atlanta Internist Dr. Sandra Fryhofer talks about how changes to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under current U.S Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is detrimental to the nation's top public health agency. Plus, Dr. Fryhofer speaks to specific issues the AMA addresses including Medicaid and Medicare, Artificial Intelligence in healthcare, physician shortages and combating mis-health-information. 

Guest:

Atlanta Internist Dr. Sandra Fryhofer, President-Elect of the American Medical Association.

Just over 70 years ago, the polio epidemic was at its height in the United States.

Cases averaged at about 45,000 each year...until Doctor Jones Salk led the development of a vaccine.

Although Salk's was the first polio vaccine,  Dr. Albert Sabin in the 1960's developed an oral vaccine which would replace Salk’s. Another difference was Salk's vaccine contained a killed virus and Sabin's a live virus to combat the disease.

Now comes a new biography detailing much more about Dr. Sabin.

"Albert Sabin: The Life of a Polio Vaccine Pioneer" is authored by an epidemiologist and Global Health Chronicles oral historian who worked for more than 25 years at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Guest:

Karen Torghele.