In wake of executive orders withdrawing the U.S. from WHO, eliminating DEI programs and more, ACP reaffirms commitment to equity, compassion, inclusion and justice
Feb. 7, 2025 (ACP) -- The American College of Physicians is responding to a flurry of executive orders issued during the first two weeks of President Donald Trump's second term in office by boldly speaking out and strategizing about the best actions to take moving forward.
“We're reaffirming our commitment to equity, compassion, inclusion and justice as our core values,” said Shari Erickson, ACP chief advocacy officer and senior vice president of governmental affairs and public policy.
Here is a look at what ACP has done in response to several White House decisions.
Reaffirm That Equity Is an Essential Bedrock of ACP Policy
As noted in a Jan. 23 statement by ACP President Dr. Isaac O. Opole, “ACP strongly opposes discrimination in any form, particularly in the medical setting, given the clearly demonstrated negative impacts on patient health and well-being. The disparities experienced by individuals in our society related to their race, veteran status, ethnicity, sexual orientation and/or gender identity harm the health of our patients.”
Opole added: “The evidence shows that the social drivers of health experienced by these individuals intertwine and compound to disproportionately reduce access to health care and lead to poorer health outcomes.”
ACP released the statement in light of the executive orders that aimed to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and overhaul gender care, according to Erickson. “Equity is such an integral part of our policies and principles that we needed to reaffirm our positions,” she said.
Join With Other Medical Societies to Protest WHO Withdrawal
ACP joined with several medical specialty society allies to strongly oppose the American withdrawal from the World Health Organization. “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,” writes ACP, the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Osteopathic Association and the American Psychiatric Association. “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.”
Monitor White House Actions on Immigration, Federal Funding and More
ACP is also concerned about White House actions that could threaten physicians who have visas allowing them to work in the United States. “We're carefully watching how this plays out,” Erickson said.
On another front, a potential freeze in federal domestic funding has been prevented, at least temporarily, a move that could threaten to shut down medical research and stop benefits for patients, according to Erickson.
Additionally, ACP is alarmed by the removal of research, data and guidance from federal webpages, along with an ongoing communications freeze for federal officials. “We need the opportunity to have meaningful and productive conversations with federal officials around key issues,” Erickson said. ACP and other physician groups are calling attention to the risk that removal of that information poses for patient care and calling on the government to restore the webpages and resume normal communications.
ACP is also worried that White House actions may imperil policies implemented by the Inflation Reduction Act that allowed Medicare to negotiate drug prices. “We have concerns about the impact this will have on older people and the prices they pay for their medications,” Erickson noted.
Strategize About Advocacy Efforts Moving Forward
ACP is working to determine the best approaches to advocacy regarding White House actions. “We need to strike the right balance and have meaningful impact on the implementation of policies or their reversal,” Erickson said. “There are various ways that we can respond: through public statements, responses regarding regulations and letters to the administration and members of Congress, and by filing friend-of-the-court briefs in court cases.”
In every case, she said, “we'll stand up for our members and the patients they serve.”
Back to the February 7, 2025 issue of ACP Advocate