Theresa Tam, born in 1965 and known as 譚詠詩 in Chinese, is a Canadian physician and public servant. Currently, she holds the position of chief public health officer (CPHO) of Canada and serves as the second-in-command of the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). Initially assuming the role on an interim basis after her predecessor Gregory Taylor retired on December 16, 2016, Tam was formally appointed to the position on June 26, 2017.
Throughout her career, Tam has played a significant leadership role in managing public health crises in Canada, including SARS, H1N1, MERS, Ebola, and the COVID-19 pandemic. She has also been actively involved in efforts to eliminate polio.
Biography
On June 26, 2017, Dr. Theresa Tam was named Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer. She has extensive knowledge in areas such as immunization, emergency preparedness, and global health security, thanks to her specialization in paediatric infectious diseases.
Dr. Tam graduated from the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom with a medical degree. She continued her education by completing a paediatric residency at the University of Alberta and a fellowship in paediatric infectious diseases at the University of British Columbia.
Dr. Tam, a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, has over 55 peer-reviewed journal articles in the field of public health. She is also a graduate of the Canadian Field Epidemiology Program, which adds to her knowledge.
Dr. Tam has held a number of key positions at the Public Health Agency of Canada over the course of her career. She previously held the positions of Deputy Chief Public Health Officer and Assistant Deputy Minister for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control. She has provided technical expertise and leadership in initiatives aimed at improving disease surveillance, strengthening immunization programs, improving health emergency management, and promoting laboratory biosafety and biosecurity over her 25-year career in public health. Notably, she has played an important leadership role in Canada’s response to public health crises such as SARS, H1N1 pandemic influenza, and Ebola.
Dr. Tam’s contributions go beyond Canada, as she has served as an international expert on a number of World Health Organization committees. She has also participated in numerous international missions related to SARS, pandemic influenza, and polio eradication.
Early Life and Education
Theresa Tam, the current chief public health officer of Canada, was born in British Hong Kong and raised in the United Kingdom. She pursued her medical education at the University of Nottingham, where she earned an MBBS degree in 1989. Following that, Tam completed her pediatric residency at the University of Alberta in 1996, and in 1997, she undertook a pediatric infectious diseases fellowship at the University of British Columbia. Throughout her career, Tam has been a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, a distinction she has held since 1996.
Career
Tam’s expertise lies in the field of pediatric infectious diseases, and she has held several notable positions in public health. She served as the assistant deputy minister of infectious disease prevention and control at the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). During the SARS outbreak in 2003, Tam was the chief of Health Canada’s immunization and respiratory infections division. She also played a significant role in the 2006 federal report on pandemic preparedness in Canada, which addressed lessons learned from the SARS outbreak and anticipated the possibility of a future respiratory infection pandemic.
As a respected authority in her field, Tam has been involved in various initiatives and committees. She served as a co-chair of a federal report on pandemic preparedness and contributed to the World Health Organization (WHO) as a member of the Independent Oversight and Advisory Committee of the Health Emergencies Programme. Additionally, Tam acted as an official advisor to the WHO’s International Health Regulations Emergency Committee on the 2019-nCoV outbreak.
Tam has been vocal about public health issues, including the opioid crisis in Canada. She highlighted the significant number of opioid-related deaths and attributed them, in part, to overprescription of opioids. Tam has also expressed concerns about vaccine hesitancy, criticizing individuals who spread misinformation and emotional opinions regarding vaccines.
Immunization
Dr. Tam is in charge of ensuring that Canadians are immunized as chief public health officer. She has openly criticized a vocal minority of vaccine refusalists, known colloquially as anti-vaxxers. “They are a small number, but they are spreading misinformation,” Dr. Tam explained to Chatelaine magazine in 2019. “And they are expressing their opinions in a very emotional manner.” (For more information, see Vaccination and Vaccine Hesitancy in Canada.)
COVID-19 Pandemic
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Tam assumed a prominent role as the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada. Her statements and recommendations garnered both positive and negative attention. Initially, she advised against the general public wearing masks, prioritizing healthcare workers’ protection and citing potential negative aspects of mask usage. However, as new data emerged on pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic transmission, Tam revised her recommendation to encourage the use of non-medical masks in situations where physical distancing is challenging.
In recognition of her expertise and contributions, Tam was appointed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to the COVID-19 Immunity Task Force, a new advisory body responsible for coordinating serological surveys across Canada. However, in February 2021, an Auditor General’s report criticized the Public Health Agency of Canada, led by Tam, for failing to fully comprehend the threat posed by COVID-19 and not adequately considering future pandemic risks.
Wiki
Dr. Theresa Tam, the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada, has been actively involved in various aspects of public health. In January 2020, during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, she initially stated that there was no evidence of easy person-to-person transmission and no cause for major concern. However, as the situation evolved, she acknowledged the increasing cases and declared the outbreak a global pandemic in line with the World Health Organization (WHO)’s declaration.
Dr. Tam has been an official advisor to the WHO’s International Health Regulations Emergency Committee on 2019-nCoV. In 2018, she served on the Independent Oversight and Advisory Committee of the Health Emergencies Programme of the World Health Organization. Her involvement in international committees and her expertise in public health have contributed to her role as an influential figure in Canada’s response to health emergencies.
Appointed as the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada in 2017, Dr. Tam assumed the leadership position at the Public Health Agency of Canada. She succeeded Gregory W. Taylor, initially serving as the acting Chief Public Health Officer before her formal appointment.
Dr. Tam has also addressed significant public health issues in Canada, such as the opioid crisis. She highlighted the alarming number of opioid-related deaths and attributed them partly to overprescription.
Furthermore, in 2006, Dr. Tam played a crucial role as a co-chair in a federal report on pandemic preparedness, which drew parallels to the respiratory infection pandemic that occurred in 2020, foreshadowing the COVID-19 pandemic with remarkable accuracy.
Throughout her career, Dr. Theresa Tam has demonstrated her expertise and leadership in public health, particularly in response to health emergencies and infectious diseases.
| Name | Theresa Tam |
| Profession | physician |
| Famous | Canada’s chief public health officer |
| Date of Birth | 1965 |
| Place of birth | British Hong Kong |
| Age | 57 Years ( 2022 ) |
| Brought Up Place | London |
| Home Town | Canada |
| Citizenship | Canadian |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Eye Color | Black |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Material Status | Married |
| Children | One Daughter |
| Salary | $226,100 to $265,000 per year |
| Networth | $5 Million Dollars |
When did Dr. Theresa Tam Come to Canada?
Theresa Tam came to Canada in 1996 to pursue further studies in pediatrics. She enrolled at the University of Alberta and completed her pediatric residency there. Since 1996, she has been a fellow of Canada’s Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons. In 1997, Tam joined the University of British Columbia to pursue a Ph.D. in pediatric infectious diseases. After completing her studies, she remained in Canada and began her professional career.
Net Worth
The estimated salary range for Dr. Theresa Tam as the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada is between $226,100 and $265,000 per year. Please note that these figures are subject to change and may not reflect the most up-to-date information.
