American Medical Association Purpose

The American Medical Association (AMA) is the largest association of medical doctors in the United States. Its purpose is to advance the interests of physicians, to promote public health, to lobby for medical legislation, and to raise money for medical education. The American Medical Association also publishes the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) and runs the SAVE (Stop America's Violence Everywhere) program.

American Medical Association History

In 1847 Dr. Nathan Smith Davis and others established the American Medical Association. He wanted to "elevate the standard of medical education in the United States." It was considered "impractical, if not utopian" by some.

The goals of the American Medical Association were scientific advancement, standards for medical education, launching a program of medical ethics, and improved public health. 250 delegates from 28 states attended the founding meeting at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Dr. Nathaniel Chapman was the first president of the American Medical Association.

American Medical Association Timeline

1848 The American Medical Association notes the dangers of secretive remedies and patent medicine.

1858 The American Medical Association established the Committee on Ethics.

1864-1865  Dr. Davis was president of the American Medical Association during the Civil War.

1873 American Medical Association Judicial Council is founded.

1884 The American Medical Association supports experimentation on animals.

1897 The American Medical Association is incorporated.

1898 American Medical Association creates the Committee on Scientific Research to provide grants for medical   research.

1899 American Medical Association creates Committee on National Legislation to represent American Medical Association's interests in US Government.

1902 American Medical Association gets its first permanent headquarters in Chicago.

1904 American Medical Association establishes the Council on Medical Education to accelerate campaign to raise educational requirements for physicians.

1905 American Medical Association creates the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry to set standards for drug manufacturing and advertising. The Council also fights against quack patent medicines.

1912 The Federation of State Medical Boards is created. It accepts the American Medical Association's rating of medical schools as authoritative.

1927 American Medical Association Council on Medical Education and Hospitals publishes first list of hospitals approved for residency training.

1935 Social Security Act is approved.

1943  American Medical Association opens an office in Washington DC.

1952  House of Delegates adopted a council report condemning fee splitting in health care.

1960 American Medical Association states that a blood alcohol level of 0.1% should be accepted as evidence of alcohol intoxication.

1970  American Medical Association encourages the Federal Aviation Administration to require all airlines to separate nonsmokers from smokers.

1974  American Medical Association gives recommendations to insure adequate protection of individuals used in human medical experimentation.

1976 American Medical Association Section on Medical Schools is created.

1982 American Medical Association urges each state medical society to support laws to raise the legal drinking age to 21.

1987 In Wilk v. American Medical Association, U.S. District Court Judge Susan Getzendanner found that the American Medical Association violated 1 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. 1, by conducting an illegal boycott in restraint of trade directed at chiropractors.

1988 American Medical Association creates the Office of HIV/AIDS.

1995 American Medical Association starts campaign for liability reform.

1999 American Medical Association creates Physicians for Responsible Negotiations (PRN, a labor organization to represent doctors, allowing them to advocate on behalf of their patients.

2000 American Medical Association supports Patients' Bill of Rights legislation in Congress.

2001 Shortly after Sept. 11th disaster, the American Medical Association provided the government with a list of 3,500 volunteer doctors who were ready to help.

The American Medical Association educated U.S. patients and doctors about bioterrorism and disaster preparedness through public service announcements and by posting updated information on its Web site.

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