Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health

The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH) is a staff office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), under the direction of the assistant secretary for health, who serves as the senior advisor on public health and science issues to the department secretary. The office serves as the focal point for leadership and coordination across the department in public health and science, provides direction to program offices within OASH, and provides advice and counsel on public health and science issues to the secretary.

Prior to 2010, the office was known as the Office of Public Health and Science (OPHS).^[1]

As part of the announced 2025 HHS reorganization, OASH is planned to be integrated into the new Administration for a Healthy America.^[2]

Organization

As of 2025, OASH's component offices are:^[3]

• Office of the Surgeon General
  • Public Health Service Commissioned Corps
• Office of Climate Change and Health Equity
• Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
  • President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition
• Office for Human Research Protections
• Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy
• Office of Long COVID Research and Practice
• Office of Minority Health
• Office of Population Affairs
• Office of Research Integrity
• Office on Women's Health

The National Vaccine Program Office was a former component that existed during 1986–2019.^[4]