Friends and Colleagues,

The American Medical Association (AMA) recently gathered in Chicago from June 6-11 for the House of Delegates (HOD) Annual Meeting. Founded in 1847, the AMA is the largest and only national association representing physicians that convenes more than 190 state and specialty medical societies and other critical stakeholders. The AMA leads major national initiatives examining prior authorization, scope of practice, physician burnout, Medicare reform, and defending Medicaid…just to name a few.

At the AMA HOD, over 700 delegates congregated to debate and discuss the AMA’s policy positions and future efforts in advocacy, education, research, physician resources, ethics, public health, practice management, AI use, and more. Policy positions are debated through resolutions, which can be written and submitted by any AMA member, section, or society. AMA policy shapes the focus and objectives of the organization, to advance efforts that support and empower America’s physicians. AMA resolutions are an important way for individuals to influence the future of health care.

As an AMA Delegate, I had the opportunity to represent the state of Ohio, which has a delegation of 11 seated delegates in the AMA HOD, each elected to a two-year term through the Ohio State Medical Association (OSMA). Several hundred items of business, resolution, and reports were considered, discussed, and debated in depth across eight Reference Committees.

Weighing heavily at the AMA meeting was the recent and drastic federal health care changes implemented by the Trump administration. Deeply discussed was the AMA’s role and responsibility to advocate against the negative impact on our practices and patients. Mid-meeting, it was also announced that HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy, Jr. drastically altered the membership of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), filling it with his own new appointees—several of whom are publicly skeptical of vaccines or outright anti-vaccine entirely! The ACIP makes objective vaccine policy recommendations for the nation and determines which vaccines children and adults receive. The Affordable Care Act mandates that insurances cover ACIP-recommended vaccines free of charge to patients. Thus, the panels’ decisions have a significant impact on the health of all Americans.

Immediately following the ACIP announcement, an emergency resolution was passed with resounding support, asking the AMA to demand reversal of the ACIP member changes and request a Senate investigation into Secretary Kennedy’s actions. It also directed the AMA to identify and evaluate alternative evidence-based vaccine advisory structures, if necessary. This was a dramatic but powerful statement from the AMA, condemning the recent controversial and chaotic health care decisions made by the Trump administration.

The AMA inaugurated Bobby Mukkamala, MD, an otolaryngologist from Flint, Michigan as its 180th President. Dr. Mukkamala was diagnosed with a glioma late last year. During his inauguration speech, he shared how he underwent an awake craniotomy with removal of 90% of the tumor. He described first-hand his struggles with the complexity of health care, and the challenges with navigating the system. He is a passionate and energetic leader that the AMA needs during a time of dramatic upheaval of the nation’s healthcare and public health systems.

The final actions of all new HOD policy positions will be available online soon, if anyone is interested in reading more in depth. Please reach out to me if there are any questions, or if you are interested in participating in organized medicine!

Please join the AMA, the OSMA, and your Academy of Medicine of Cincinnati. We need your voice now more than ever!

Chris Paprzycki, MD FACS

President, Academy of Medicine of Cincinnati

Delegate, Ohio Delegation to the AMA

At-Large Councilor, Ohio State Medical Association