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William H. Frist

Former U.S. Senate Majority Leader


William Harrison Frist is a physician and politician. Having received his Doctor of Medicine degree from the Harvard Medical School, Frist has an extensive background in the study and practice of health care and policy. However, Frist, a second-term Republican who had long been considering a race for the White House, recently said he would instead take a ''sabbatical'' from politics.

Frist was the Congressional spokesman during the 2001 anthrax attacks. In 2003, Frist was able to push the third major tax cut under the Bush Administration. In a speech in 2004, Frist spoke of his background as a doctor and expressed the desire to change several things related to the American health care system. He described President Bush's policy regarding stem cell research as "ethical." He is also in favor of imposing limits on the amount of money awarded to plaintiffs in medical malpractice cases.

Frist has been pushing for a bill aimed at fighting bio-terrorism. Its aim was to establish new programs to protect the nation from health threats by "terrorists and foreign nations utilizing biological and chemical weapons." Recently, he spoke in favor of the recently passed Medicare prescription drug benefit and the legislation providing for Health Savings Accounts.

Frist has been married to his wife, Karyn, since 1982. They have three sons: Harrison, Jonathan, and Bryan.

Posts by this Commissioner:

Bill Frist: “Global Healthcare Takes More Than a Pill”

Former Senate Majority Leader and Commissioner Bill Frist is published in the Boston Globe promoting a comprehensive global health strategy

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Bill Frist Travels to Haiti for Medical Mission with Supplies

The medical need in Haiti is desperate -- in particular for surgeons. Bill Frist has decided to join fellow physicians in Haiti and will be blogging daily to report what is happening on the ground.

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Senator Frist Documents Humanitarian Trip to Haiti

We've been following Senator Frist as he's spent the last week with Samaritan's Purse delivering medical care and supplies to the people in Haiti.

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Upcoming Book Launch: Senator William H. Frist: “A Heart to Serve.”

Podcast and upcoming book launch at CSIS for Senator Frist's new book, "A Heart to Serve: A Passion to Bring Health, Hope and Healing."

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