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AMA wants you -- to help shape agenda

AMA Leader Commentary. By Timothy T. Flaherty, MD. Sept. 3, 2001.

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AMA LEADER COMMENTARY

A few words about current events in medical practice

SEE ARCHIVES

A message to all physicians from Timothy T. Flaherty, MD, chair of the AMA Board of Trustees.

It's been said that a single, determined person with one great idea can change the world. That's what we believe at the AMA. And that's what one of our medical students believed more than 20 years ago.

It was 1979. A medical student from South Dakota concluded that airline passengers should not be forced to breathe second-hand smoke. The student brought this issue to the attention of the Medical Student Section, and the MSS brought it before the AMA House of Delegates.

That same year, thanks to the MSS, the house passed a resolution to contact the Civil Aeronautics Board about the dangers of second-hand smoke to airline passengers. Over time, additional resolutions called for legislation that would prohibit smoking on commercial flights. We put our lobbying power behind this policy, and in 1987 and 1989, Congress enacted legislation to ban smoking on all domestic flights.

One person, one idea -- one giant step forward for public health. It's a powerful example of why we at the AMA want to stay connected to our members and why we believe you should stay connected to us.

This is true not only in terms of policy, but also of priorities. Every year, issues bubble up to AMA leadership from the councils and thus from the sections, the specialty societies, and the state and county medical associations. Every year, this helps us to prioritize our concerns and create a plan of action -- including this year. [...]