Occupation Secretary, amfAR | Spouse(s) Deborah | |
Full Name Mervyn Frank Silverman Known for being head of the San Francisco Dept of Health at the onset of AIDS Alma maters Washington and Lee University, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Tulane University School of Medicine | ||
Mervyn F. Silverman MD, MPH, was the director of health in San Francisco, California from 1977 to 1985. This means he was ultimately responsible for planning the city's initial response to AIDS. Currently, he serves as Secretary of the Board of Trustees for amfAR. He has also been director of health for Wichita, KS; medical director of Planned Parenthood of Kansas; director of the Robert Wood Johnson AIDS Health Services Program; director of the Office of Consumer Affairs for the Food and Drug Administration; and director of the East Asia and Pacific Regional Medical Office of the Peace Corps.
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Education
Silverman received his B.S. from Washington and Lee University, his M.D. from Tulane University School of Medicine, and his M.P.H. from Harvard School of Public Health.
Response to AIDS while San Francisco Health Director
On October 9, 1984, he ordered 14 bathhouses and sex clubs "to close immediately, saying they were fostering disease and death by allowing indiscriminate sexual contacts that could spread AIDS." Leaders of the gay community, such as Cleve Jones, were unable or unwilling to back him in this effort because of potential backlash. That backlash did happen, with heated debate over public health concerns versus the civil rights of homosexuals., Indeed, Silverman received death threats as a result, ultimately leading to his resignation. Two months later, a "superior court ordered reopening on the condition that sexual activities be policed by the bathhouse management."
At the same time, Silverman was using organizations like the RWJ Foundations to fund grants for community-based programs to meet local needs.
While testifying on behalf of the Ryan White CARE Act, he advocated funding for early interventions: “The importance of early medical intervention has dramatically increased the number of Americans urgently in need of HIV-related care—up to 1 million Americans are in imminent risk of developing very serious and costly AIDS-related illnesses unless this early intervention is available to slow the progression of their HIV infection. Early intervention is but a cruel myth if the treatments are available and people cannot afford them. Medicaid funding for early intervention is essential.”
Honors and Awards
Popular Culture
Private Life
He and his wife have three daughters.