The History of the American Medical Association and Its Legacy of Racism and Misogyny
Why That 1864 Abortion Decision Was About Money and Power
The American Medical Association (AMA) sounds as benign as any organization I can think of. Their purpose seems lofty enough.”
“To Promote the art and science of medicine and the betterment of public health”
They were formed in 1847 with the intent of raising the standards of medicine in the 19th century, primarily by gaining control of education and licensing. Control is a keyword in that last sentence, as it has raised its ugly head throughout the group's history. The AMA has frequently lobbied to restrict the supply of physicians, contributing to a doctor shortage in the United States. They’ve opposed physician’s assistants performing essential health care functions and tried to ban midwives in its early history.
When formed, the AMA was comprised solely of white men. The first woman, Sarah Hackett Stevenson, wasn’t admitted until 1876. The AMA was loosely organized into societies. She was granted membership by the Illinois State Medical Society. The AMA began debating the admission of women years earlier in the 1868 national meeting. The AMA’s Committee on Ethics ruled that…
