Statement attributable to:
Omar T. Atiq, MD, MACP
President, American College of Physicians
WASHINGTON March 1, 2024 – The American College of Physicians (ACP) strongly supports efforts to restore and protect individuals and institutions who provide in vitro fertilization (IVF) services. As we have seen access to reproductive health services threatened across this country over the past several years, it has become even more urgent to protect access to all aspects of reproductive health care. The recent court decision in Alabama is a troubling sign and we are deeply concerned that we will see further efforts, nationally or in other states, that restrict access to IVF or other reproductive health care.
Our patients need to be able to access appropriate, evidence-based medical care, including the full range of reproductive health care services, without undue political interference. Physicians must not face civil, criminal, or licensure penalties for providing medical care. We need to be free to care for our patients in accordance with our clinical judgment without being threatened with punitive policies. Instead of policies that restrict access to IVF and threaten patients and their physicians, we should be looking for ways to promote equitable access to reproductive health care services and to safeguard maternal health across the country.
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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 161,000 internal medicine physicians, 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 X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook.
Contact: Jacquelyn Blaser, (202) 261-4572, jblaser@acponline.org