AMA says it is 'deeply concerned' by Roe v. Wade draft opinion
Neither Mississippi, nor any other state, should substitute their own views for a physician's expert medical judgment, AMA says.
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Three days after a leaked Roe v. Wade draft opinion was made public, the American Medical Association has released a statement expressing its concern over what a final ruling would mean for government interference in the patient-physician relationship.
"The American Medical Association is deeply concerned by the contents and implications of the draft Supreme Court opinion for the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization case that became public this week," said Dr. Gerald Harmon, president of the AMA. "This opinion would lead to government interference in the patient-physician relationship, dangerous intrusion into the practice of medicine and potentially criminalizing care."
The Supreme Court draft opinion – reported by Politco late Monday – strikes down Roe v. Wade in a Mississippi abortion ban case the justices heard in December 2021. Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization is an appeal of a lower-court ruling that said the state law banning abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy was unconstitutional.
"With deliberations underway, we strongly urge the court to reject the premise of the draft opinion and affirm precedent that allows patients to receive the critical reproductive health care that they need," Harmon said. "Allowing the lawmakers of Mississippi or any other state to substitute their own views for a physician's expert medical judgment puts patients at risk and is antithetical to public health and sound medical practice."
WHY THIS MATTERS
The AMA has previously stated its support for access to abortion services and submitted an amicus brief in the Supreme Court case, but this is the first statement made by the physician organization since the explosion of protest over Monday's draft ruling.
The statement, released Wednesday afternoon, affirms that physicians represented by the AMA believe Roe v. Wade should stand.
Chief Justice John Roberts has confirmed the draft majority opinion and has said he wants an investigation of the leak. Justice Samuel Alito, writing for the majority, said that abortion is not a constitutional issue and should be left to the states to decide.
The draft is not a final decision. The Supreme Court is expected to release its ruling in June or early July.
THE LARGER TREND
The AMA and more than two dozen medical organizations had filed an amicus brief in the Mississippi case with the Supreme Court, saying, "Abortion is a safe, common and essential component of healthcare."
In 2017, more than 860,000 abortions were performed nationwide, according to the AMA, including roughly 2,550 in Mississippi. Approximately one-quarter of American women have an abortion before age 45.
An AMA Viewpoint titled "Unconstitutional attack on reproductive health must not stand" was published in October 2021 ahead of the Supreme Court oral arguments.
Twitter: @SusanJMorse
Email the writer: SMorse@himss.org
