CHICAGO — The American Medical Association (AMA) today joined with the American Hospital Association (AHA) and American Nurse Association (ANA) in calling for the Trump administration to rescind Executive Order 13950, Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping.  In a letter delivered today to the White House, the three leading health care organizations noted the executive order prohibiting federal agencies from conducting and funding trainings that promote racial reconciliation is “counterproductive to addressing racism” and would “stifle attempts at open, honest discussion of these issues in the public and private sectors.”

The letter said:

“Promoting diversity and inclusion in the federal government would serve to strengthen, rather than weaken, collaboration among federal workers and contractors, who conduct lifesaving research, care for the nation’s veterans, and administer numerous programs and services to enhance the nation’s health and welfare. As providers of care to diverse communities throughout the country, we urge the Administration to immediately rescind EO 13950 and allow for our continued work on inclusion and equity.”

The entire letter can be found here.

Today’s letter reinforces the AMA position that our country benefits from having more tough conversations about race, gender, sexual orientation and the systems, practices and policies that discriminate and oppress people through racism, sexism, and homophobia. The AMA will continue its work to dismantle racist and discriminatory policies in health care, including those proposed by the federal government, that permit disparate treatment based on race and sex.