What the AMA Stands For Now

Under a new president, Patrice Harris, the American Medical Association made a splash in the reproductive-rights debate in June by suing North Dakota to block two abortion-related laws. One of those laws requires physicians to tell patients that medication-induced abortions can be reversed in some instances, which the suit says is false; the other requires doctors to tell patients that an abortion terminates “the life of a whole, separate, unique living human being.”

The AMA also has recently taken positions on some topics, such as climate change and body-worn cameras in law enforcement, that aren’t traditionally associated with medicine. Dr. Harris, who will serve a one-year term as president, spoke to The Wall Street Journal about the AMA’s advocacy efforts, health-care reform and diversity in the profession. Edited excerpts follow.

WSJ: The AMA recently filed a lawsuit against North Dakota over two abortion-related laws, one of which you previously said contradicts reality and science. How did you make the decision to sue?

DR. HARRIS: There has been a proliferation of laws over the last year or so that really get to the heart of the matter of government intrusion into the patient-physician relationship. The AMA always has and always will condemn any interference into the patient-physician relationship, because we believe that that would negatively impact care. Also, in North Dakota, one of those laws compelled physicians to repeat information that was not science-based and not evidence-based. So you have two issues: governmental interference into what medical advice or what treatment alternatives are discussed with patients, and then that advice is not science-based and evidence-based.

WSJ: What has the response to this decision been like from physicians both in and outside of your membership?

DR. HARRIS: Based on the email and the communications that I received, it’s been positive. There’s a unifying position out there that there should be no interference with the doctor-patient relationship. I have not found a physician who disagrees on the critical ability of physicians to be able to talk openly and honestly and give science-based information to our patients without any interference.

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https://www.wsj.com/articles/what-the-ama-stands-for-now-11565575501 (paid subscription)