Steve Jobs is Cancer-Free or So He Wants Us to Believe

Steve Jobs looked weak when he introduced the iPhone 3G six weeks ago in San Francisco, prompting rumors that his cancer might have returned. The New York Times, citing sources close to Jobs, reported that Jobs brushed off cancer rumors and told members of Apple’s board of directors that he is just on a diet after his cancer surgery.

Wall Street’s worries place the enormous importance of Jobs to Apple and spur questions about the company’s responsibility to address recurring rumors regarding his health. The Apple chief financial officer and senior vice president, Peter Oppenheimer, dismissed questions raised in the media about the health of his boss on Monday. He said that “Steve’s health is a private matter.”

According to the corporate governance, public companies are under obligation to quickly report health problems that impair CEO’s ability to fulfill his or her duties.

American Technology Research analyst Shaw Wu said, “They have a longstanding policy to not comment on that matter. They didn’t say anything new. But the answer didn’t give anybody confidence. And saying it was a ‘private matter’ didn’t help.”

Some critics argue that Steve Jobs is responsible for a large part of Apple’s corporate success and the company and that the company should disclose his health publicly, unless he can continue to carry his duties without potentially life-threatening health concerns. After all, Jobs is not a private citizen - he’s a Chief Executive Officer of the public company. As such, he has a corporate responsibility to ensure investors feel confident in his abilities to lead one of the most successful companies in American history.