Who is Scott Atlas
Dr. Scott Atlas Biography
Scott William Atlas is an American neuroradiology, political commentator, and health care policy advisor. He is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution currently serving as a Special Advisor to the President and is a member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force.
Dr. Scott Atlas Age
He was born on July 5, 1955 in Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Scott Atlas Education
Dr. Atlas received a BS degree in biology from the University of Illinois in Urbana‐Champaign and an MD degree from the University of Chicago School of Medicine. In 2011 he received Alumni Achievement Award, the highest career achievement honor for a distinguished alumnus from the University of Illinois in Urbana‐Champaign.
Scott Atlas Wife
There is no public information available regarding his marital status.
Scott Atlas Credentials – Scott Atlas Speciality
Scott is board-certified in diagnostic radiology and served as a professor and chief of neuroradiology at Stanford University Medical Center from 1998 to 2012. As a diagnostic radiologist, he specializes in interpreting images taken by X-ray, MRIs and CT scans.
He has also advised several members of the United States Senate and House of Representatives and testified to Congress on health care reform.
Dr. Atlas had a Fulbright award to collaborate with academic leaders in China on structuring health care solutions for China, and also participated with leaders from government and academia on the World Bank’s Commission on Growth and Development. He has also advised leaders on health care and medical technology in several countries outside the US, including Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Europe.
Scott Atlas Stanford – Scott Atlas Hoover
Dr. Scott serves as the Robert Wesson Senior Fellow and a Member of Hoover Institution’s Working Group on Health Care Policy at the Hoover Institution of Stanford University.
He investigates the impact of government and the private sector on access, quality, pricing, and innovation in health care and is a frequent policy advisor to government and industry leaders in these areas. During the 2008, 2012, and 2016 presidential campaigns, he was a Senior Advisor for Health Care to a number of candidates for President of the United States. He has also advised several members of the United States Senate and House of Representatives and testified to Congress on health care reform.
On November 16, 2020 Stanford University distanced themselves from comments made by Scott Atlas who is currently on leave.
“The university has been asked to comment on recent statements made by Dr. Scott Atlas, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution who is on leave of absence from that position. Stanford’s position on managing the pandemic in our community is clear. We support using masks, social distancing, and conducting surveillance and diagnostic testing. We also believe in the importance of strictly following the guidance of local and state health authorities.”
Stanford’s position on managing the pandemic in our community is clear. We support using masks, social distancing, and conducting surveillance and diagnostic testing. We also believe in the importance of strictly following the guidance of local and state health authorities. 2/3
— Stanford University (@Stanford) November 17, 2020
Scott Atlas Coronavirus
Dr. Scott joined the White House Coronavirus Task Force as a member in August 2020 and serves as a Special Advisor to President Trump. He however received backlash as he is a radiologist and not a specialist in public health or infectious diseases.
Scott Atlas Mask
In September 2020, Dr. Scott Atlas alleged that the science of wearing a mask is uncertain. The tweet was removed by Twitter as it was in violation of the platform’s Covid-19 Misleading Information Policy. In another tweet he wrote, “Masks work? NO” followed by a series of misrepresentations about the science behind the effectiveness of masks in combating the pandemic.
Scott Atlas Fox News
Prior to joining the Coronavirus Task Force, Dr. Atlas appeared on Fox News as a commentator. While appearing in an interview with Fox News’s Brian Kilmeade in July, Atlas said: “These people getting the infection is not really a problem, and in fact, as we said months ago, when you isolate everyone, including all the healthy people, you’re prolonging the problem because you’re preventing population immunity. Low-risk groups getting the infection is not a problem. In fact, it’s a positive.”
He later denied that he advocated for the herd immunity strategy, saying “there’s never been a desire to have cases spread through the community. It has never been the president’s policy.”
During an appearance on August 3 while discussing college reopenings he argued that that children “have no risk for serious illness” and “they’re not significant spreaders,” adding, “There should never be and there is no goal to stop college students from getting an infection they have no problem with.”
Scott Atlas Rise Up
On November 15, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued an emergency order that “enacts three week pause, targeting indoor social gatherings and other group activities to curb our state’s rising #COVID 19 infection cris”. This led to Dr. Scott asking people to rise up in a tweet that has since been deleted.
He tweeted: “The only way this stops is if people rise up. You get what you accept. #FreedomMatters #StepUp.”
This led to a lot of backlash with Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel saying Atlas’ call to action represented a “grave concern” and warned that it could provoke violence in the state.
“These public health orders are absolutely necessary to preserve human life but once again, here you have members of the Trump administration that are so much more hurtful than they are helpful.”
President-elect Joe Biden also expressed dismay at Atlas’ remarks saying: “The idea that the president’s now existing remaining adviser on Covid is saying that they should resist. What the hell is the matter with these guys? What’s the matter with them. Resist?”
The backlash led to Dr. Atlas clarifying that he was not talking about violence, he tweeted; “Hey. I “NEVER was talking at all about violence. People vote, people peacefully protest. NEVER would I endorse or incite violence. NEVER!!”
Scott Atlas Last Thanksgiving
On November 16, 2020 Dr. Atlas raised concerns about excluding older family members from Thanksgiving celebrations, citing the risks of isolation. While appearing on Fox News he told Martha MacCallum that it’s important to protect “vulnerable, high-risk, senior family members” but suggested it may be worth including them in holiday gatherings.
“This kind of isolation is one of the unspoken tragedies of the elderly, who are now being told ‘don’t see your family at Thanksgiving,’ for many people, this is their final Thanksgiving believe it or not.”
He continued, “What are we doing here? I think we have to have a policy, which I have been advocating, which is a whole person, whole health policy. It’s not about just stopping cases of COVID, we have to talk about damage of the policy itself.”
Scott Atlas Resigns
On November 30, 2020 Dr. Scott Atlas turned in his resignation letter to President Donald Trump. In the letter he said his “advice was always focused on minimizing all the harms from both the pandemic and the structural policies themselves, especially to the working class and the poor.”
Dr. Scott Atlas Resignation Letter
Honored to have served @realDonaldTrump and the American people during these difficult times. pic.twitter.com/xT1hRoYBMh
— Scott W. Atlas (@ScottWAtlas) December 1, 2020