AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) President and CEO David J. Skorton, MD, issued the following statement about interference in the patient-physician relationship and access to safe and effective reproductive health care:
“The relationship between patient and physician or other provider is the basis of safe and effective health care. Any policies that interfere in that relationship put the patient at risk.
Recent state laws that limit a patient’s access to comprehensive reproductive health care by banning virtually all abortions interfere in the patient-physician relationship and override what is ultimately a physician’s professional judgment about medical care. Further, this disruption will impose a great burden on marginalized and disadvantaged populations that already suffer from poor access to quality health care.
The disturbing recent actions in some states fly in the face of decades of legal precedent established by the Supreme Court and, in one case, set a dangerous new standard by inviting third-party actors to collect wholly inappropriate bounties against physicians and other health professionals.
The chilling effect of such egregious actions intended to intimidate clinicians will extend far beyond reproductive health care to every patient seeking safe, high-quality medical care. These policies take our health care system backwards in our quest for health equity at the very time we should be redoubling our commitment to patient-centered, evidence-based care that promotes better health for people everywhere.”