Surgeon General Declares Loneliness a National Public Health Emergency
The US Surgeon General declared loneliness a national health emergency, with nearly half of adults chronically isolated — an impact equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes daily.
•Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy called on schools, employers, healthcare providers, and urban planners to redesign social infrastructure to prioritize human connection. Proposed recommendations include mandating social prescribing programs in federally funded healthcare and limiting algorithmic content feeds on social media platforms.
•The advisory highlighted that younger Americans aged 15-24 have experienced a 70% drop in time spent with friends over the past two decades, and that elderly Americans living alone face elevated risks of dementia, heart disease, and early death linked to isolation.
By John Carter·Jul 11, 2026
