The following statement is attributable to American Academy of Pediatrics President Sally Goza, MD, FAAP; American Academy of Family Physicians President Gary L. LeRoy, MD, FAAFP; American Medical Association President Susan R. Bailey, MD; and American College of Physicians President Jacqueline W. Fincher, MD, FACP.
“The Trump administration’s official withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) puts the health of our country at grave risk. As leading medical organizations, representing hundreds of thousands of physicians, we join in strong opposition to this decision, which is a major setback to science, public health, and global coordination efforts needed to defeat COVID-19.
“The WHO plays a leading role in protecting, supporting, and promoting public health in the United States and around the world. The agency has been on the frontlines of every global child health challenge over the last seven decades, successfully eradicating smallpox, vaccinating billions against measles, and cutting preventable child deaths by more than half since 1990. Withdrawing from the WHO puts these investments at risk and leaves the United States without a seat at the table – at a time when our leadership is most desperately needed.
“As our nation and the rest of the world face a global health pandemic, a worldwide, coordinated response is more vital than ever. This dangerous withdrawal not only impacts the global response against COVID-19, but also undermines efforts to address other major public health threats. The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Physicians, and the American Medical Association strongly oppose this short-sighted decision. We call on Congress to reject the Administration’s withdrawal from the WHO and make every effort to preserve the United States’ relationship with this valued global institution. Now is the time to invest in global health, rather than turn back.”
I disagree with this statement. THE WHO has a minimal role or influence in American medicine. It is a political organization, and like most political organizations it purports to speak on behalf of others when it is speaking for its own worldview.
For example, when the AAFP releases comments like this WITHOUT surveying its members it still says it is speaking for us. No, the leaders of the AAFP are speaking for themselves. You are pushing your world view as superior to everyone elses, and you feel so superior that you think you are entitled to do so. This is very popular in medicine today as well as in our elitist-run political system. (The one that oppresses blacks and whites and everyone else it can).
The leaders of all these agreeing organizations likely allign politically to the left with the press and one of our two largest political parties.
That does not make you representative of our opinion. You have less members than you purport to speak for as does the AMA. You do not survey your members and non members probably would not trust you with a response even if you asked them.
Don’t presume you can speak for members you haven’t surveyed. Your pronouncements are not very meaningful, as many people know you are speaking for yourselves, not those you should be representing.
IF you cared you would survey your members before making pronouncements. But to you it is not about “representing” your constituency, its more about imposing your opinions on everyone else.