Statement Attributable to:

Patrice A. Harris M.D., M.A.

President, American Medical Association 

“With physicians and the entire health care workforce on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic facing a dire shortage of the testing supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) needed to keep them safe and prepared to care for patients, today’s Executive Order is a critical and bold step toward ensuring vital needs are met. The AMA has called for a “Manhattan Project” type effort to expand manufacturing capacity and produce supplies needed in this time of national emergency, and this Executive Order will help bolster the supply of PPE, ventilators, and tests to help with diagnosis. We look forward to continuing to work with the Administration as we navigate this unprecedented health threat.”

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the AMA has been providing physicians with the latest clinical guidance to help them evaluate, test and care for patients under investigation for COVID-19, as well as guidance to help protect themselves and other health care personnel on the front lines from illness. The AMA developed a COVID-19 online resource center, Physicians Guide to COVID-19, and a COVID-19 FAQ to provide physicians with a comprehensive place to find the latest resources and updates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), other federal agencies, and the World Health Organization to help prepare their practices, address patient concerns, and provide answers to physicians’ most pressing questions.

Additionally, the AMA’s JAMA Network™ has a comprehensive overview of the coronavirus – including epidemiology, infection control and prevention recommendations – available for free on its JN Learning website.