Georgia's Public Health Assets Empower Well-Being

Industry Leaders Outline Successes in Georgia G8 Summit Panel Discussion 

SAVANNAH , GA – Leaders from Georgia's public health community met today at the G8 Summit International Media Center for a panel discussion focused on the state's array of public health organizations and ongoing research aimed at preventing, treating, and eradicating disease.

Participants included Dr. Louis Sullivan, former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services and founding dean, director and president emeritus of the Morehouse School of Medicine; Dr. Jeffrey Koplan, vice president for Academic Health Affairs at Emory University; Dr. Daniel Rahn, president of the Medical College of Georgia; Dr. Suzanne Smith, acting director of the Public Health Practice Program Office of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); and Dr. Steve Stice, associate professor, senior research scientist in the Department of Animal and Dairy Science at the University of Georgia.

“Georgia is a world-class bioscience center,” said Governor Sonny Perdue. “The unique advantages that our state offers create the perfect environment for growth, success, and prosperity for companies, entrepreneurs, and researchers.

Georgia 's bioscience community has been ranked the eighth largest in the country in the Ernst & Young 2004 Global Biotechnology Report. The industry has grown steadily for the past five years and the state is home to more than 120 bioscience research and development companies, eight research universities, and a broad spectrum of resources for clinical research. To date, the state's bioscience industry employs more than 13,000.

Georgia is home to the top public health institutions responsible for improving the health of millions around the world, including the CDC and non-profit organizations such as the Arthritis Foundation and the American Cancer Society.

“By working to nurture our home-grown companies and bring the best, most promising companies and entrepreneurs to the state, we are making significant investment in the future of our bioscience industry,” said Governor Perdue.

**Audio of the briefing will be available at http://www.georgia.org/G8/news/multimedia.html