Assistant Secretary for Health

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Assistant Secretary for Health
File:United States Public Health Service (seal).svg
Seal of the United States Public Health Service
File:Flag of the United States Assistant Secretary for Health.svg
Flag of the Assistant Secretary for Health
Incumbent
Admiral Brian Christine, MD
since November 11, 2025[1]
U.S. Public Health Service
Commissioned Corps
StyleAssistant Secretary
Admiral[2]
AbbreviationASH
ADM[2]
Reports toSecretary of Health and Human Services
SeatHubert H. Humphrey Building, United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Washington, D.C.
AppointerPresident of the United States
with United States Senate advice and consent
Constituting instrument42 U.S.C. § 202 and
42 U.S.C. § 207
FormationNovember 2, 1965; 60 years ago (1965-11-02)
First holderPhilip R. Lee
WebsiteOfficial website

The assistant secretary for health (ASH) is a senior U.S. government official within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) who serves as the primary advisor to the secretary of health and human services on matters involving the nation's public health, and provides strategic and policy direction to the Public Health Service agencies and Commissioned Corps.

The position is a statutory Senate-confirmed presidential appointment (42 U.S.C. § 202), who may be a civilian, or a uniformed four-star admiral of the PHS Commissioned Corps and is nominated for appointment by the president.[3][4] The president may also nominate a civilian appointee to also be appointed a direct commission in the commissioned corps if the nominee so chooses.[4][5] The assistant secretary's office and its staff make up the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH).

The 18th and current assistant secretary for health is Admiral Brian Christine.

History

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The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health and Scientific Affairs was established on January 1, 1967, following Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1966.[6] The new position supplanted the surgeon general as the head of the PHS, with all PHS component heads now reporting to the assistant secretary.[6][7][8][9] This was seen as undermining the chain of command of the PHS Commissioned Corps, beginning a long-term shift where Commissioned Corps officers were more responsible to the agencies they were stationed in than to the corps itself.[9]

The office was renamed the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health following the Department of Education Organization Act in 1972.[6]

In 1995, supervision of the agencies within PHS was shifted to report directly to the secretary of health and human services. This transformed the assistant secretary for health from a supervisory position in the direct chain of command, into an advisory one.[9]

In 2010, the office's name was changed from Office of Public Health and Science to Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health.[10]

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health

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Main article: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health

As of 2018, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health oversees 12 core public health offices, 10 regional health offices, and 10 presidential and secretarial advisory committees.[11]

File:US PHS O10 insignia.svg
The stars, shoulder boards, and sleeve stripes of the Assistant Secretary for Health if serving in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.

List

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No. Assistant secretary Term Pay schedule or
Service branch
Portrait Name Took office Left office Term length
1Philip R. LeeNovember 2, 196519693 yearsFile:Flag of the United States Senior Executive Service.svg
Executive
Schedule IV
2Roger O. EgebergJuly 14, 196919712 yearsFile:Flag of the United States Senior Executive Service.svg
Executive
Schedule IV
3Merlin K. DuValJuly 1, 1971January 20, 19731 year, 203 daysFile:Flag of the United States Senior Executive Service.svg
Executive
Schedule IV
4Charles C. EdwardsApril 18, 1973January 5, 19751 year, 262 daysFile:Flag of the United States Senior Executive Service.svg
Executive
Schedule IV
5Theodore CooperJuly 1, 197519772 yearsFile:Flag of the United States Senior Executive Service.svg
Executive
Schedule IV
6Vice Admiral
Julius B. Richmond		July 13, 1977May 14, 19813 years, 305 daysFile:Seal of the USPHS Commissioned Corps.png
U.S. Public
Health Service
7Edward Brandt Jr.198119843 yearsFile:Flag of the United States Senior Executive Service.svg
Executive
Schedule IV
8Robert E. Windom198619893 yearsFile:Flag of the United States Senior Executive Service.svg
Executive
Schedule IV
9Admiral
James O. Mason		198919934 yearsFile:Seal of the USPHS Commissioned Corps.png
U.S. Public
Health Service
10Philip R. LeeJuly 2, 199319985 yearsFile:Flag of the United States Senior Executive Service.svg
Executive
Schedule IV
11Admiral
David Satcher		February 13, 1998January 20, 20012 years, 342 daysFile:Seal of the USPHS Commissioned Corps.png
U.S. Public
Health Service
-Rear Admiral
Arthur J. Lawrence[12]
Acting		January 20, 2001February 8, 20021 year, 19 daysFile:Seal of the USPHS Commissioned Corps.png
U.S. Public
Health Service
12Eve SlaterFebruary 8, 2002February 5, 2003362 daysFile:Flag of the United States Senior Executive Service.svg
Executive
Schedule IV
-Rear Admiral
Cristina V. Beato
Acting		February 5, 2003January 4, 20062 years, 333 daysFile:Seal of the USPHS Commissioned Corps.png
U.S. Public
Health Service
13Admiral
John O. Agwunobi		January 4, 2006September 4, 20071 year, 243 daysFile:Seal of the USPHS Commissioned Corps.png
U.S. Public
Health Service
-Don J. Wright
Acting		September 4, 2007March 28, 2008206 daysFile:Flag of the United States Senior Executive Service.svg
Executive
Schedule IV
14Admiral
Joxel García		March 28, 2008January 20, 2009298 daysFile:Seal of the USPHS Commissioned Corps.png
U.S. Public
Health Service
-Rear Admiral
Steven K. Galson
Acting		January 22, 2009June 22, 2009151 daysFile:Seal of the USPHS Commissioned Corps.png
U.S. Public
Health Service
15Howard K. KohJune 22, 2009August 1, 20145 years, 40 daysFile:Flag of the United States Senior Executive Service.svg
Executive
Schedule IV
-Karen B. DeSalvo[13]
Acting		October 2014January 3, 2017More than 2 yearsFile:Flag of the United States Senior Executive Service.svg
Executive
Schedule IV
-Don J. Wright
Acting		January 4, 2017February 15, 20181 year, 42 daysFile:Flag of the United States Senior Executive Service.svg
Executive
Schedule IV
16Admiral
Brett P. Giroir		February 15, 2018January 19, 20212 years, 339 daysFile:Seal of the USPHS Commissioned Corps.png
U.S. Public
Health Service
-Rear Admiral
Felicia L. Collins
Acting		January 21, 2021March 26, 202164 daysFile:Seal of the USPHS Commissioned Corps.png
U.S. Public
Health Service
17Admiral
Rachel L. Levine[14]		March 26, 2021January 20, 20253 years, 300 daysFile:Seal of the USPHS Commissioned Corps.png
U.S. Public
Health Service
-Leith J. States[15]
Acting		January 20, 2025May 26, 2025126 daysFile:Flag of the United States Senior Executive Service.svg
Executive
Schedule IV
-Dorothy Fink[16]
Acting		May 26, 2025November 10, 2025168 daysFile:Flag of the United States Senior Executive Service.svg
Executive
Schedule IV
18Admiral
Brian Christine[17]		November 11, 2025Incumbent179 daysFile:Seal of the USPHS Commissioned Corps.png
U.S. Public
Health Service

References

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  2. ^ a b If also serving in uniform as a Public Health Service Commissioned Corps officer.
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  9. ^ a b c Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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  13. ^ Received a recess appointment extension on January 1, 2016, under 5 U.S.C. § 3346(b)(2), to continue serving as the Acting Assistant Secretary for Health until the end of fiscal year 2016.
  14. ^ Received her commission and four-star rank on October 19, 2021.
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