1- My dream for public health is that we will stop being embarrassed & apologetic about ourselves. We believe that population-based strategies can improve health and fight disease. This is a daring thing to say in the US, where the default attitude is "whatever works for you."

2- This means a lot of US PH experts hedge when giving recommendations that are intended to be adopted at a population, community level. This is what we do! We're not doctors or psychologists, who analyze problems for individual persons. That's OK!

3- Advising on policy isn't just IN our lane, it IS our lane. It's why a lot of us are here! In CDC's list of greatest recent PH wins, policy is a common theme! How did we curb lead poisoning in kids? Hint: it wasn't kids making healthier personal choices. http://cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6019a5.htm

4- In pandemics, policymakers need to hear the population health perspective. Without us, they'll assume behaviors can end a pandemic. Individual solutions are cheaper (even profitable, sometimes), politically safer, & less work for them. They also don't work well enough.

5 - We're afraid to speak to this -- is it because it conflicts with American culture? There are always indiv factors, but that doesn't mean there can't be broad guidance intended for most. We don't HAVE to say "only do this if it works for you." (ex, seat belts).

6 - Obviously we need ppl who think about individual level and $$ at the table too. But that's not our role, and they have no problem advocating for their interests. We defer to, for ex., doctors & econ all the time, but if we don't advocate for the public's health, no one will.

7 (addendum)- anyone who has said “leave policy to politicians” has probably never met a politician. My year of being a political intern during the 2010 healthcare reform time was....enlightening. I’ll just say, they need us.