Statement from Leading Physician Groups on Announcement to Withdraw U.S. from the World Health Organization
The statement below is issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American College of Physicians, American Osteopathic Association and American Psychiatric Association:
For immediate release: January 23, 2025
Media contacts:
American Academy of Family Physicians: Julie Hirschhorn | jhirschhorn@aafp.org
American Academy of Pediatrics: Devin Mazziotti | dmazziotti@aap.org
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists: Kate Connors | kconnors@acog.org
American College of Physicians: Jacquelyn Blaser | jblaser@acponline.org
American Osteopathic Association: Ernst Lamonthe | elamonthe@osteopathic.org
American Psychiatric Association: Erin Connors | econnors@psych.org
The statement below is issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American College of Physicians, American Osteopathic Association and American Psychiatric Association:
“The recent announcement to withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO) will limit our ability to collaborate and coordinate on public health issues that impact individuals and their families here and around the globe. As leading medical organizations representing more than 600,000 physicians in the United States, we share the goal of safe, healthy, and disease-free patients and communities. Remaining part of the WHO is one way we can ensure our nation’s success in achieving this goal for all the patients we care for.
“For more than 70 years, the WHO has played a leading a role in protecting, supporting, and promoting public health in the United States and around the world. Withdrawing from the WHO will hamper our country’s ability to predict and respond to major public health emergencies and limit access, communication and information sharing to a global network of health professionals.
“We urge Congress to reject the administration’s proposal to withdraw from the WHO and ensure the United States can continue to have a seat at the table where critical public health decisions are being made.”
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About the American Academy of Family Physicians
The AAFP is the largest national association of family physicians, representing 128,300 physicians and medical students. Family medicine’s cornerstone is an ongoing, personal patient-physician relationship focused on impactful care for people of all ages, races and genders across all medical conditions. The AAFP supports every stage of a family physician's career and provides evidence-based resources, advocacy and community to empower family medicine. To learn more, visit aafp.org. For information about health care, medical conditions and wellness, please visit the AAFP’s patient education website, familydoctor.org.
About the American Academy of Pediatrics
The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists, and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety, and well-being of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. For more information, visit www.aap.org and follow us on Twitter @AmerAcadPeds.
About the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) is the nation’s leading group of physicians providing health care for women. As a private, voluntary, nonprofit membership organization of more than 60,000 members, ACOG strongly advocates for quality health care for women, maintains the highest standards of clinical practice and continuing education of its members, promotes patient education, and increases awareness among its members and the public of the changing issues facing women’s health care. www.acog.org.
About the American College of Physicians
The American College of Physicians is the largest medical specialty organization in the United States with members in more than 145 countries worldwide. ACP membership includes 160,000 internal medicine physicians (internists), related subspecialists, and medical students. Internal medicine physicians are specialists who apply scientific knowledge and clinical expertise to the diagnosis, treatment, and compassionate care of adults across the spectrum from health to complex illness. Follow ACP on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
About the American Osteopathic Association
The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) represents more than 178,000 osteopathic physicians (DOs) and osteopathic medical students; promotes public health; encourages scientific research; serves as the primary certifying body for DOs; and is the accrediting agency for osteopathic medical schools. To learn more about DOs and the osteopathic philosophy of medicine, visit www.osteopathic.org.
About the American Psychiatric Association
The American Psychiatric Association, founded in 1844, is the oldest medical association in the country. The APA is also the largest psychiatric association in the world with more than 38,000 physician members specializing in the diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and research of mental illnesses. APA’s vision is to ensure access to quality psychiatric diagnosis and treatment. For more information please visit www.psychiatry.org.