The AMA Advisory Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Issues hosted a well-attended caucus and reception Friday evening in conjunction with the 2015 AMA Annual Meeting.
After the networking reception, Gregory Blaschke, MD, chair of the committee, provided a brief update about the committee's activities and work, including:
- Securing renewal of the committee’s charter for another four years from the AMA Board of Trustees
- Providing input and comments on current health care issues such as opposing the lifetime blood donation ban for men who have sex with men, patient discrimination based on their LGBT status and the need to capture LGBT patient data within electronic health records
- Ensuring the AMA signing an amicus curiae related to the current Supreme Court of the United States same-sex marriage case
- Participating as commissioners in the Commission to End Health Care Disparities
On the policy front, attendees discussed a resolution on military medical policies affecting transgender individuals. The event concluded with a lively educational session on what physicians and medical students need to know about the Association of American Medical Colleges’ core competencies on LGBT health, presented by Kristen Eckstrand, MD, and Brian Hurley, MD. To access resources about LGBT health and health care, visit the LGBT Advisory Committee's Web page.
