It is with great sadness that we share news of the passing of Dr. Philip Lee. Lee passed away on Tuesday, October 27. He was 96 years old.
Dr. Phil Lee, MD ‘48, came to Human Biology in 1997 following his service as the Assistant Secretary of Health for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
An expert in tackling national health care issues, Lee was appointed as the Assistant Secretary for Health under two national administrations - first under President Lyndon Johnson from 1965 - 1969 and again under President Bill Clinton from 1993 - 1997. He also served as the Chancellor of the University of California, San Francisco, and was the founder and director of the Institute for Health Policy Studies there.
As Dr. Paul Fisher said, “Human Biology might seem like a footnote in the remarkable life of Dr. Philip Lee,” but in his time with Human Biology, he brought his remarkable professional experience and thorough knowledge to courses on international health policy and to a seminar, co-led with Professor Don Barr, on American health policy. Dr. Shirley Feldman, who served on multiple committees with Lee over the years shared that it was truly a privilege and honor to see him work. “Phil was always ready to talk to students and share his knowledge of health policy and passion for social justice,” she said.
Lee retired from HumBio in 2008 in order to devote more of his time to working on one of the most challenging problems our country continues to face - escalating health care costs and the growing ranks of the uninsured. Always a big supporter of HumBio, Lee reflected on his time and said: “I don’t know of any other undergraduate program that provides a better foundation for careers in public health and health policy.” (HumBio Winter Newsletter 2008)
Lee was a brilliant and steadfast professor and advisor. He was a moving force for health policy in Human Biology and inspired not only his students but his colleagues as well. “Human Biology benefitted immensely from having Philip Lee as a member of our faculty,” Barr shared. “Having the opportunity to work with him in HumBio was one of the high points of my professional experience and I benefited personally from having him as my own mentor.”
Lee was a warm, empathic, gentle, and kind soul who truly cared for each and every one of his students and their success. Melora Simon, HumBio Class of 2000, echoed these sentiments in her experience as a student in Barr and Lee’s US Health Policy Seminar; “He was a masterful storyteller, bringing the intricacies to life with wit and memorable detail.” Feldman noted that he was also quick to use his contacts in the government and elsewhere to help students learn, carry out research, and promote their careers. Anything for his students.
Beyond HumBio, Lee was a pioneer of health policy research and a renowned advocate for health equity at the regional, state, and national levels.
“To all of us who came under Phil’s spell, his death represents the end of an era,” said Haile Debas, MD, who served as UCSF chancellor from 1997 to 1998. “He was a giant of a leader, a man with passionate commitment to the welfare of the poor and vulnerable, and one who has made important contributions to the national discourse and direction of health policy. I will always remember Phil as the gentle giant who always had time and a smile for everyone and a burning passion to make this world a better place.” (UCSF Announcement, 10/30/20)
“Phil will forever be a human biologist and friend of Human Biology,” Fisher said. It is clear that Dr. Lee’s impact will be felt for years to come and he will be greatly missed.