The Honorable Dr. David J. Shulkin, 9th Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Joins Legacy as a Strategic Advisor
David Shulkin, M.D. will advise Legacy on its growing military business.
BOSTON, Oct. 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Legacy (YC S'19), the digital fertility clinic for men, announced today the appointment of David J. Shulkin, M.D. as a strategic advisor to its growing ranks of medical and public policy experts. Dr. Shulkin, an outspoken advocate for military veterans, is expected to usher in a new era of support for service members and their families.
Last month, Dr. Shulkin stood with U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Jon Stewart, and others to introduce new landmark legislation: the Presumptive Benefits for War Fighters Exposed to Burn Pits and Other Toxins Act of 2020. The bill aims to secure critical aid for veterans with diseases linked to burn pit exposure since the onset of the Global War on Terror (GWOT).
"For men who have served in our recent conflicts, approximately 14% experience infertility issues," said Dr. Shulkin. "Legacy can provide help to those who want to preserve their ability to have a family. This is one way we can support and honor our commitment to those who have served."
"We're honored to have Dr. Shulkin join the Legacy team," said Khaled Kteily, CEO of Legacy. "His thought leadership and advocacy for veterans aligns with our broader vision to preserve fatherhood aspirations for those who serve, especially those who risk their lives in combat."
The announcement of Dr. Shulkin's arrival to the Legacy team comes one month after the publication of a Legacy-funded study in the journal Reproductive Technology on the impacts to fertility as a result of Agent Orange exposure in Vietnam War Veterans. Legacy hopes to pioneer further research in this area by funding an analogous study on fertility impacts as a result of burn pit exposure in GWOT veterans.
Legacy's commitment to military service members is inspired in large part by Secretary Ash Carter's "Force of the Future Program," which recognized the importance of enhanced fertility benefits to include sperm and egg freezing. The Legacy team, which includes John Crowley as Head of Military Affairs, is committed to ensuring that DNA cryopreservation is made available to every deploying service member.
ABOUT THE HONORABLE DAVID J. SHULKIN, M.D.
A board-certified internist, Dr. Shulkin has dedicated his career to improving health and wellness for all patients. Confirmed by a unanimous US Senate vote of 100-0, Dr. Shulkin served as ninth Secretary of the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). In this role, he improved systems capacity and infrastructure to expand timely access to primary, specialty and behavioral healthcare providers for our nation's veterans. This "whole person" approach to coordinated healthcare had a dramatic impact on outcomes and patient satisfaction – raising trust in VA services from 46 to 70% during his tenure.
Prior to his work with the VA, Dr. Shulkin served as Chief Executive and Chief Medical Officer of numerous leading U.S. hospitals and healthcare systems including: Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City, Morristown Medical Center, the University of Pennsylvania Health System, the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Temple University Hospital, and the Medical College of Pennsylvania Hospital. He also founded his own mission-driven technology start-up designed to bring accessible, patient-friendly quality data to the public. Dr. Shulkin has been recognized as one of " 50 Most Influential Physician Executives and Leaders" by Modern Healthcare and one of the "Top 100 Physician Leaders of Hospitals and Health Systems" by Becker's Hospital Review.
ABOUT GIVE LEGACY, INC.
Give Legacy, Inc. is the leading digital fertility clinic for men. Founded in 2018 out of the Harvard Innovation Labs, Legacy is a Y-Combinator and Bain Capital Ventures backed startup working toward rebalancing the responsibility of family planning by providing at-home sperm testing and storage solutions. Since winning TechCrunch Disrupt Berlin 2018, Legacy has been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, and Forbes. The team brings international experience in male fertility, health care policy, and business with a world-class advisory board.
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