On Monday, Aug. 9, Andrew “Drew” Mattison, M.D., president of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, met in Sacramento with Assemblymember Mark Leno and his staff to discuss strategies to implement a California Sexual Health Initiative based upon the report of former United States Surgeon General David Satcher’s “The Call to Action on Sexual Health”.

At the invitation of Satcher, Mattison recently participated in a daylong program in Washington, D.C. to discuss sexual health and responsible sexual behavior in an effort to find common ground between the science and belief communities.

Mattison’s research in the area of club drugs and risky sexual behaviors at circuit parties has resulted in three scientific publications, and he presented his findings and recommendations on practical risk-reduction intervention at the White House Conference Center in July 2002 to an audience of health policy staffers from the Senate and Congress.

For the past four years, Mattison has been the co-director of the University of California’s Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research, which researches, among other things, the medicinal uses of cannabis and pain and nausea management among cancer patients.

Two weeks ago, Mattison himself was diagnosed with stomach cancer. He is beginning a treatment plan of chemotherapy and radiation, which will be followed by surgery.

“I am feeling healthy, confident, and optimistic in facing this current challenge,” he said.

Mattison, with his partner of 33 years, David McWhirter, M.D., have been civic leaders in the community since 1975. Co-authors of the best selling book, The Male Couple, Mattison and McWhirter have been spokespersons for same-sex couples as guests on television, seminars and lectures around the country.