Bill Frist to speak on medicine’s potential

A former Republican senator will discuss medicine’s potential to improve U.S. foreign policy at IU today. \nFormer Tennessee Sen. Bill Frist will present his lecture “Global Medicine as a Currency for Peace” at 7 p.m. today in the IU Auditorium. He will discuss global health care, as well his work with U2 singer Bono in Africa and his involvement in the ONE campaign, which aims to end poverty.\nAccording to the U.S. Congress Web site, Frist was a heart and lung surgeon before serving as a senator for 13 years. He was also the majority leader in the Senate from 2003 to 2007.\nCharlene Brown, associate director of the Wells Scholars Program, said Frist’s lecture is expected to interest students who want to learn how to solve social problems.\n“Our program, as a whole, is one which has a strong interest in international affairs and the well-being of people around the world,” Brown said.\nDahlen said Frist was chosen to come to IU after the Union Board began searching for a speaker who would be well-informed in either domestic or foreign health care.\nWhen the board came across Frist, who has a background in medicine, they decided to bring him to IU, Dahlen said. Frist has also gone to Africa several times and has worked on these issues firsthand, she said.\n“We hope that (students) come away with a global understanding,” Dahlen said. \nA question and answer session will follow the lecture.\nThe lecture is free and open to the public.\nThe Union Board, the IU School of Medicine, the Wells Scholars Program, the Timmy Foundation and the School of Public and Environmental Affairs are sponsoring the event.