President Nixon met with HEW Secretary Elliot Richardson and medical experts, including John Millis and Theodore Cooper, to discuss the U.S.-Soviet Union Cooperative Health Program regarding cancer and heart disease research. The discussion focused on international data sharing, the impact of diet and lifestyle on cardiovascular health, and the importance of public health education initiatives. The President emphasized prioritizing medical research funding and promoting wellness awareness, ultimately tasking the group with preparing recommendations for future health policy and educational outreach.
Audio for this conversation has not yet been released by the National Archives.
NARA DescriptionOn June 27, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Elliot L. Richardson, John S. Millis, Theodore Cooper, Kenneth R. Cole, Jr., James H. Cavanaugh, White House photographer, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:30 am to 11:57 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 743-005 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 743-5
Date: June 27, 1972
Time: 11:30-11:57 am.
(rev. Feb-02)
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Elliot L. Richardson, John S. Millis, Theodore Cooper, Kenneth R. Cole,
Jr. and James H. Cavanaugh.
[Members of the press and White House photographer were present at the beginning of the
meeting.]
Introductions
Photographs
Cooper’s forthcoming trip to Moscow
US-Soviet Union Cooperative Health Program on Disease
-The President's view
-Richardson’s role
-Cancer
-Heart disease
-The President's view
-Support for program
-Cooper's previous visit to Moscow
-Agreement with Soviet Union
-Statistical data
-William P. Rogers, Boris V. Petrovsky
-Dr. E. I. Chazov and Dr. Cooper
-Soviet diet
-Priority
-Incidence in certain areas of Soviet Union
-The President's meeting with Poles
-Exercise
-Dr. Paul Dudley White
-Walking
-The President's visits to Camp David
-People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-Diet
-Comparison to the Soviet Union
-Richardson's memorandum to Henry A. Kissinger
-System
-Soviet health problems
-White [First name unknown]
-The President's view
-Compared with US
-Cancer legislation
-Millis's role
(rev. Feb-02)
-Heart diseases
-Variety and relationships
-Forthcoming recommendations
-Funding allocation
-Facilities
-Communication
-Education
-Education
-Doctors
-Public
-Problems
-Use of fear
-Weight
-Diet
-Smoking
-Youth
-Due date for report
-Need for education about health
-Reader's Digest
-Television potential
-Human biology courses in high school and college
-The President's view
-Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 11:30 am.
The President’s schedule
Bull left at an unknown time before 11:57 am.
-Competition for curricular time
-The President's view
-Social studies
Presentation of gifts by the President
Millis, Cooper, Richardson, Cole, and Cavanaugh left at 11:57 am.No transcript is available for this conversation.