The Man Behind The Name

Dr. C. Everett Koop is a pediatric surgeon by training. He had been professor of pediatrics and pediatric surgery at the University of Pennsylvania and surgeon in chief at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia for 39 years. In the early 1980s Dr. Koop went to work in Washington, D.C., as Surgeon General under President Reagan, where he served two four-year terms. After that he stayed in Washington and continued to work in the political scene. Now Dr. Koop makes his home in New Hampshire where he continues his work in health at Dartmouth College at the C. Everett Koop Institute.

According to Dr. Koop, becoming interested in the area of preventative medicine had everything to do with his position as Surgeon General. "Being Surgeon General is the story of prevention of disease and the promotion of good health and that has been my life since 1981," he said. "A lot of the work we do at the Koop Institute is down the same line." But while Dr. Koop has been busy at the Koop Institute he has also focused significant time and effort toward another endeavor. In 1997, Austin, TX-based Dr. Koop LifeCare Corporation, formerly known as drkoop.com, was formed. With the affiliation and endorsement of the former U.S. Surgeon General, the company offers consumers and medical professionals reputable, science-based treatments, health products and information.

Dr. Koop LifeCare's Products And Services

Dr. Koop LifeCare has a three pronged approach, emphasizing knowledge through its web site drkoop.com, prevention through its line of dietary supplements and treatment by providing patients with a variety of home healthcare services.

Drkoop.com delivers online healthcare information to 2.2 million registered users at drkoop.com and youth-oriented site drdrew.com. From traditional to complementary and alternative medicine, the company's team of medical writers gives consumers access to the latest information on health and lifestyle issues. This award-winning content had made drkoop.com the fourth-most trafficked health information site among adults 50 or older.

Also in the company's arsenal is a brand new line of supplements bearing the Dr. Koop name. The four flagship products include Menopause, which contains vitamins C and E, selenium, kava kava, NovaSoy (50% isoflavones) and black cohosh; Prostate, which contains vitamins C and E, zinc, selenium, saw palmetto, stinging nettles and lycopene; Mental Clarity, which contains vitamins E, B1, B12 and folic acid, magnesium and ginkgo biloba and Joint Health, which contains vitamins C and E, magnesium, boron, capsaicin, boswellia serrata, glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin sulfate.

Developing a supplement line took a great deal of thought, according to Dr. Koop. "We wanted to use only those ingredients that had been scientifically proven by double blind or placebo controlled studies. In addition, we wanted these products to bear a name that people could trust," he said, adding, "We believe that my name carries a lot of credibility due to my years being Surgeon General and we are determined to elevate the dietary supplement market to a level of credibility that it does not have at the present time."

To round out its offerings the company also provides medical service options through a variety of infusion therapies, allowing it to expand and enhance the options available to patients seeking reliable intravenous therapies. Other strengths are clinical pharmacy services including the procurement, review and dispensing of infusion therapy prescriptions; clinical nursing services (from assessment through to patient education, care and medication) and care management services for physicians, hospitals, insurance providers and more.

Recent Events

In November Dr. Koop LifeCare Corporation signed a retail distribution agreement with specialty retailer The Vitamin Shoppe, North Bergen, NJ. According to the agreement, The Vitamin Shoppe will sell Dr. Koop's four new dietary supplements through its nationwide stores, print catalog and online store.

In other news, the company has forged an agreement with ShopNBC to air the first Dr. Koop Healthy Living Show. The new series is designed to introduce viewers to the line of Dr. Koop Healthy Living dietary supplements. As part of the show, Dr. Koop will offer his views on the importance of complementary and alternative medicine as part of a person's overall health and wellbeing.-R.M.