Statement attributable to:
President, American Medical Association
“The Biden Administration has included many commendable policies in its executive order on advancing equality for the LGBTQ+ community. The American Medical Association strongly supports the effort to reduce the risk of youth exposure to so-called conversion therapy, an unethical practice not based on medical and scientific evidence. Evidence of existing health inequities and discrimination demonstrates the need for this order’s overall focus on access to health care services by members of the LGBTQ+ community. As part of our own efforts to achieve health equity, the AMA supports access to quality, evidence-based health care regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation, recognizes that LGBTQ+ patients need protection from discrimination when seeking care, and supports coverage for gender-affirming care. At the state and federal levels, the AMA works to expand access to medical services, reduce stigma in treating patients with unique needs and break down discriminatory barriers to necessary care. The actions in the executive order will move these efforts forward.”
In April, 2021, the American Medical Association sent a letter to the National Governors Association, urging governors to oppose state legislation that would prohibit medically necessary gender transition-related care for minor patients, calling such efforts “a dangerous intrusion into the practice of medicine.
About the American Medical Association
The American Medical Association is the physicians’ powerful ally in patient care. As the only medical association that convenes 190+ state and specialty medical societies and other critical stakeholders, the AMA represents physicians with a unified voice to all key players in health care. The AMA leverages its strength by removing the obstacles that interfere with patient care, leading the charge to prevent chronic disease and confront public health crises, and driving the future of medicine to tackle the biggest challenges in health care. For more information, visit ama-assn.org.
