The AMA has expressed deep concern over reports that HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. plans to remove all members of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, citing fears that this could undermine evidence-based preventive health recommendations. The task force plays a crucial role in guiding preventive care decisions, and its removal or restructuring has raised alarms about the potential impact on public health policy and access to preventive services.
Dr. Bobby Mukkamala, a prominent Flint physician and president-elect of the American Medical Association, has been diagnosed with a brain tumor after experiencing speech difficulties during a conference. The tumor, suspected to be a grade 2 or 3 glioma, will be surgically removed at the Mayo Clinic. Mukkamala, who has been active in addressing the Flint water crisis and healthcare issues, plans to return to work if his treatment is successful. He is using his experience to highlight deficiencies in the U.S. healthcare system and is documenting his journey through writing.
Historians suggest that Arizona's 1864 near-total abortion ban was driven by power struggles, with male physicians seeking dominance over midwives and anti-abortion advocates feeling threatened by immigrants. The law, recently ruled enforceable by the state Supreme Court, reflected efforts to control reproductive rights and healthcare. The ban, which criminalized abortion before fetal movement detection, was part of a national movement to restrict abortion, giving physicians more power. The decision to uphold the law has sparked debate about gender equality and the uncertainty faced by doctors under today's national abortion restrictions.
A new bill introduced in California aims to end daylight saving time in the state, following a study by the American Medical Association advocating for a year-round fixed time. While voters approved a similar measure in 2018, some argue that daylight saving time has benefits such as reducing crime, encouraging outdoor activities, and positively impacting mood and health.
Cardio Diagnostics, an AI-powered precision cardiovascular medicine company, has been granted two dedicated reimbursement codes by the American Medical Association for its AI-driven coronary heart disease (CHD) tests, marking a significant step toward payer billing and payment for the company’s groundbreaking tests. These codes will facilitate broader adoption of PrecisionCHD, an integrated genetic-epigenetic clinical blood test to aid in the diagnosis of CHD, and Epi+Gen CHD for evaluating the likelihood of a patient experiencing a CHD event. The company's technology aims to combat the growing problem of heart disease, offering non-invasive, scalable, and cost-effective diagnostic solutions for CHD, with the potential to improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare expenditure.
A clinical trial conducted at Sheppard Pratt Hospital in Baltimore and published by the American Medical Association has found that psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy shows efficacy and safety in treating bipolar II depression. The trial involved 15 participants with treatment-resistant BDII depression, and after seven psychotherapy sessions, including one with a single dose of psilocybin, the study subjects displayed strong and persistent antidepressant effects without worsening mood instability or increased suicidality. The study also found improvements in patients' self-reported quality of life scores, and safety metrics such as suicidal ideation and mania did not change significantly. However, the authors caution against casual or unsupported psilocybin use and note that further follow-up studies are needed.
Dr. Jesse Ehrenfeld, the new president of the American Medical Association, has stated that the US healthcare system is in crisis due to doctor burnout, soaring medical costs, and an influx of legislation targeting the LGBTQ+ community. He hopes to improve health equity for all underserved groups and be a role model for young doctors, as well as for his own sons. Ehrenfeld also expressed concern about the criminalization of healthcare in certain states, which has affected gender-affirming care and abortion services.
The American Medical Association is urging doctors to de-emphasize the use of body mass index (BMI) when assessing health and obesity of patients, acknowledging that the measurement has been used for "racist exclusion" and has caused "historical harm." The AMA suggests tracking weight with other factors by measuring waist circumference, skin folds, and resting metabolic health, among other factors such as cholesterol and blood pressure for a total picture of a patient's health.
The American Medical Association has urged doctors to de-emphasize the use of body mass index (BMI) when assessing health and obesity of patients, acknowledging that the measurement has been used for "racist exclusion" and has caused "historical harm." The AMA suggests tracking weight with other factors by measuring waist circumference, skin folds, and resting metabolic health, among other factors such as cholesterol and blood pressure for a total picture of a patient's health.
The American Medical Association (AMA) has advised doctors to pay less attention to body mass index (BMI) in determining if a patient is at a healthy weight, saying the measure does not predict disease risk equally well across racial and ethnic groups. The influential physician group's annual meeting in Chicago voted to adopt a new policy that says BMI should be just one factor in determining whether a patient is at a healthy weight. Other measures such as body composition, belly fat, waist circumference, and genetic factors are also important, the AMA said.
The American Medical Association (AMA) has advised doctors to consider other factors besides BMI in determining whether a patient is at a healthy weight, as the measure does not predict disease risk equally well across racial and ethnic groups. The AMA's new policy also says BMI should not be used as a sole criterion for denying insurance reimbursement.
The American Medical Association (AMA) has adopted a new policy that clarifies the limitations of using the body mass index (BMI) as a measure of health. The AMA called out the test's racial bias and advised that doctors use other tests, such as waist circumference, body composition, and genetic factors, in conjunction with BMI. The AMA recognizes issues with using BMI as a measurement due to its historical harm, its use for racist exclusion, and because BMI is based primarily on data collected from previous generations of non-Hispanic white populations.
The American Medical Association (AMA) has acknowledged the limitations of using the body mass index (BMI) as a measure of health risk, citing its racial bias and other significant limitations. The AMA recommends that doctors use other tests, such as measurements of visceral fat, body composition, waist circumference, and genetic factors, in conjunction with BMI to determine the best care for their patients. The AMA also suggests that doctors use other tests to diagnose obesity and measure health risks instead, including measuring waist-to-hip ratio, using skinfold calipers, or, if the technology is available, underwater weighing.
The American Medical Association (AMA) has passed a resolution at its annual meeting to protect gender-affirming care, opposing legal penalties for patients and their families accessing such care, protecting doctors from legal and physical threats, and advocating against legislation that limits gender-affirming care. The AMA has publicly supported gender-affirming medicine for years and has also shown support for intersex people. The resolution was introduced by the Endocrine Society and passed with limited opposition. The AMA also passed resolutions opposing mandated reporting of LGBTQ+ identities and de-emphasizing the use of BMI in assessing patient health.
The American Medical Association has criticized the use of body mass index (BMI) in assessing health and obesity, acknowledging that it has been used for "racist exclusion" and has caused "historical harm." The AMA urges doctors to de-emphasize its use and adopt other measures such as body composition, waist circumference, and genetic factors. The AMA also amended its policy on the treatment of obesity, recommending educating doctors to look at other measures such as adiposity, body composition, and waist circumference in all patients and acknowledging that risks differ both between and within demographic groups.
