US docs to apologise for racism

In a commentary in the July 16 Journal of the American Medical Association, Ronald Davis, the organisation8217;s former president, noted that many of the organisation8217;s questionable actions reflected the 8220;social mores and racial discrimination8221; that existed for much of the country8217;s history.

8220;The medical profession, which is based on a boundless respect for human life, had an obligation to lead society away from disrespect of so many lives,8221; Davis wrote. 8220; AMA failed to do so and has apologised for that failure.8221;

AMA officials declined on Wednesday to discuss specifics of the apology, saying that information would be released on Thursday. But the Davis article refers to a committee of experts convened and supported by the organisation to examine 8220;historic roots of the Black-White divide in US medicine8221;.

Specifically, the panel noted that the AMA permitted state and local medical associations to exclude Black physicians, effectively barring these doctors from the national organisation. In the early 20th century, the organisation listed Black doctors as 8220;coloured8221; in its national physician directory. In addition, the AMA was silent during debates over the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964, and, for years, declined to join efforts to force hospitals built with federal funds to not discriminate.

Richard Allen Williams, a clinical professor of medicine at the University of California at Los Angeles and the president of the Minority Health Institute, said the apology is 8220;an excellent gesture of goodwill8221;.

8220;I applaud the AMA for doing this. In the current climate of health care, it is a very timely gesture,8221; he said. 8220;Less than 5 per cent of physicians are African Americans, and that needs to be changed. This cannot be changed by African American physicians alone, and we all need to move forward together.