Responding to Epidemics

The Times report about Dr. Shirley Fannin’s criticism of the Los Angeles Department of Health Services (Metro, April 27) overlooked the critical reasons that the department cannot respond quickly and appropriately to epidemics. While Dr. Fannin’s complaints relate to the county’s inability to deal with epidemics of syphilis and penicillin-resistant gonorrhea, the criticism is even more valid for its handling of AIDS.

Los Angeles is the only county in the state with a department not headed by a medical health officer (who would be a physician). In 1972, with the formation of the Department of Health Services, special legislation was passed in Sacramento to allow L.A. not to have a medical health officer.

Equally as important, the director of the Department of Health Services does not have civil service protection. As a result, his ability to publicly criticize the county supervisors for insufficient spending on health issues is severely impaired.

Furthermore, the director is unable to counter inappropriate attempts by other department heads to create public health policy relating to AIDS. For example, District Atty. Ira Reiner has recently been responsible for convincing the supervisors to define “unsafe sex” in a medically incorrect fashion over the objections of public health officials who must also remain silent.

The people of Los Angeles are entitled to a medical health officer who has civil service protection so health issues can be dealt with medically instead of politically.

NEIL R. SCHRAM, M.D.

Former Chair

Los Angeles City/County

AIDS Task Force