AMA in the News: April 2026

AMA in the News covers media coverage and mentions about the American Medical Association. Find articles recognizing our efforts in health care, advocacy, medical education and improvements in public health. Read coverage on the achievements of our leadership and the members of the AMA community.

1. AMA urges FTC to crack down on doctor deepfakes

   1. Inside Health Policy, April 30, 2026
   2. The American Medical Association is urging the Federal Trade Commission to crack down on unauthorized artificial intelligence-generated “deepfakes” of medical professionals. (Publication subscription is required for full or unlimited access.)

2. Fact check: Do international residents take slots from Americans?

   1. Stat News, April 30, 2026
   2. According to the AMA, the match rate for U.S. medical students has held steady between 92% and 95% for more than 40 years. About 56% of students without citizenship or residency in the U.S. matched this year—a lower number than usual despite a surge in international applications over the last four years. (Publication subscription is required for full or unlimited access.)

3. Physician lawsuit rates hit historic lows, but malpractice premiums are soaring: AMA

   1. Becker’s ASC Review, April 29, 2026
   2. In 2024, 1.8% of physicians were sued in the previous year, down from 2.3% in 2016 and a peak of 7.4% annually between 1991 and 2005, according to research from the AMA. (Publication subscription is required for full or unlimited access.) 

4. Buffalo doctor talks future of health care as he takes helm of AMA

   1. Buffalo Business First, April 28, 2026
   2. As he prepares to step into a national leadership role with the AMA, Willie Underwood, MD, MSc, MPH, of Buffalo sees healthcare in the U.S. facing a critical period.

5. AMA alerts officials of health plans' No Surprises Act abuse

   1. Tech Target, April 28, 2026
   2. The AMA, along with 111 specialty societies and state medical associations, wrote a letter (PDF) to the secretaries of the Treasury, Health and Human Services, and Labor, calling for the administration to address enforcement gaps in the law's independent dispute resolution process.

6. New AMA study finds burnout is decreasing among medical residents and fellows

   1. Forbes, April 26, 2026
   2. A study released last week by the AMA found that medical residents and fellows are reporting lower rates of burnout and dissatisfaction than in previous years. (Publication subscription is required for full or unlimited access.)

7. AMA calls for regulatory crackdown on chatbots, wellness AI

   1. Stat News, April 23, 2026
   2. In a series of letters, AMA CEO John Whyte, MD, MPH, urged lawmakers to pursue safeguards around the use of chatbots in mental healthcare. “Determinations of regulatory status should be based on the function of the technology and should not be solely based on marketing claims,” Whyte argues. “Simple disclaimers included by chatbots should not be considered sufficient to escape regulatory review.” (Publication subscription is required for full or unlimited access.)

8. Great leaders in healthcare | 2026

   1. Becker’s Hospital Review, April 20, 2026
   2. John J. Whyte, MD, MPH, CEO and Executive Vice President of the American Medical Association (Chicago). Dr. Whyte leads the AMA, the nation’s largest physician organization, bringing to the role a career spanning digital health, federal regulation, media and health policy at the highest levels.

9. Physician specialties with highest, lowest burnout rates: AMA

   1. Becker’s Hospital Review, April 16, 2026
   2. Burnout among physicians is continuing to decline, but three specialties still have a burnout rate of more than 49%, an AMA survey found. 

10. Why many Americans are turning to AI for health advice, according to recent polls

    1. Associated Press, April 15, 2026
    2. Bobby Mukkamala, MD, an ear, nose and throat doctor and AMA president, said he loves when patients come in and have "more evolved questions than they used to have" because they used AI for research. But he said AI should be considered a tool and not a stand-in for medical care. “It is an assistant but not an expert, and that's why physicians need to be involved in that care,” he said.

11. New Mental Health Parity Index highlights where disparities persist

    1. Fierce Healthcare, April 14, 2026
    2. “Patients deserve the same access to mental health and substance-use disorder services as they do for any other medical condition—it’s that simple,” said AMA President Bobby Mukkamala, MD, in the press release. 
    3. “Strong federal and state laws require affordable and accessible in-network mental health and substance-use disorder services, but patients still have to fight insurers to get it," Mukkamala said. 

12. Prescribing Change: Improving AI adoption among physicians

    1. Forbes, April 13, 2026
    2. A March 2026 AMA survey found that more than 80% of responding physicians said they were already using AI in a professional context, roughly double the share reported in 2023. (Publication subscription is required for full or unlimited access.)

13. AMA CEO outlines key goals as new digital health/AI center staffs up

    1. Inside Health Policy, April 9, 2026
    2. “AI has quickly become part of everyday medical practice," AMA CEO Dr. John Whyte, MD, MPH, who is presenting the survey findings at this week’s HIMSS 2026 conference in Las Vegas. "Physicians see real promise in its ability to support clinical decisions and cut down on administrative burden. But as this technology advances, it is critical that augmented intelligence be designed to enhance—not replace—physicians.” (Publication subscription is required for full or unlimited access.)

14. Op-Ed: What banking can teach health care about protecting patient data

    1. The Hill, April 9, 2026
    2. John Whyte, MD, MPH is chief executive officer at the American Medical Association.  

15. AI & Tech Brief: The power of Mythos

    1. Washington Post, April 8, 2026
    2. According to an AMA study published last month, 81 percent of physicians report using AI in their professional work, which is double the number that reported doing so three years ago. (Publication subscription is required for full or unlimited access.)

16. What, exactly, is longevity medicine?

    1. New York Times, April 7, 2026
    2. Longevity medicine “requires a lot of scrutiny,” said Dr. Bobby Mukkamala, the president of the AMA. Are the treatments clinics are offering “based on something that’s totally justified to work, or is it something that hasn’t yet been proven?” (Publication subscription is required for full or unlimited access.)

17. MedPAC: Increase physician pay by 0.5% for 2027

    1. Medical Economics, April 3, 2026
    2. AMA President Bobby Mukkamala, MD, issued statements endorsing Murphy’s legislation and MedPAC’s recommended increase.
    3. “Because of lagging payments, rising inflation and bureaucratic demands, physicians are struggling to keep their practices open and continue caring for their patients,” he said. “These pressures fall hardest on private practice physicians caring for Medicare patients especially in rural and underserved communities.”

18. Health insurance red tape gets in the way of patient care | Opinion

    1. The Tennessean, April 2, 2026
    2. These administrative burdens also impact patients and families by increasing costs and delaying care. According to the AMA, 94% of physicians say insurance prior authorizations delay patient care, with 80% reporting it can result in patients skipping treatment altogether.

19. Doctors couldn’t help them. They rolled the dice with AI

    1. New York Times, April 2, 2026
    2. So in some ways, using A.I. to compensate for health care failures is a new version of an old story, said John J. Whyte, MD, MPH, the chief executive of the AMA. But the nature of the technology makes it both more powerful and more risky. (Publication subscription is required for full or unlimited access.)

20. A look at AMA's Joy in Medicine program amid steady physician burnout rates

    1. Fierce Healthcare, April 1, 2026
    2. “When we see these physician burnout rates climbing, the goal of the [AMA] is to deal with the causes of that burnout," AMA President Bobby Mukkamala, MD, told Fierce Healthcare.