Decision Further Supports Recent ACP Position Paper
June 26, 2015
Attributable to:
Wayne J. Riley, MD, MPH, MBA, MACP
President, American College of Physicians (ACP)
Today's decision by the Supreme Court that individuals in a same sex relationship have a constitutional right to civil marriage is an historic step forward to the goal of ensuring equal access to healthcare for all Americans. As ACP noted in a recent position paper in the Annals of Internal Medicine, "The denial of such [same sex marriage] rights can have a negative impact on the physical and mental health of these persons and contribute to ongoing stigma and discrimination for LGBT persons and their families."
The College is committed to continuing to advocate for policies to ensure equal access to healthcare for all persons without regard to gender and gender identity, race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation.
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The American College of Physicians is the largest medical specialty organization and the second-largest physician group in the United States. ACP members include 141,000 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 and Facebook.
Contact: David Kinsman, (202) 261-4554
dkinsman@acponline.org