Doctors For America

TO MOBILIZE DOCTORS AND MEDICAL STUDENTS TO BE LEADERS IN PUTTING PATIENTS OVER POLITICS ON THE PRESSING ISSUES OF THE DAY TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF OUR PATIENTS, COMMUNITIES, AND NATION.

FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION (FDA) TASK FORCE: DOCTORS FOR AMERICA INITIATED THE FDA TASK FORCE TO EDUCATE PHYSICIANS AND MEDICAL TRAINEES ON CURRENT FDA POLICIES AND PROCEDURES THAT FORM THE BASIS FOR MARKETING APPROVALS, TO MOBILIZE PHYSICIANS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND ENACTMENT OF FDA REGULATORY PROCESSES & POLICIES, AND TO EMPOWER PHYSICIANS TO ADVOCATE THROUGH EDUCATION THAT THESE PROCESSES & POLICIES BE BASED ON RIGOROUS SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE FROM MEANINGFUL CLINICAL RESEARCH. FDA TASK FORCE MEMBERS PROVIDED EDUCATION FOR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID (CMS) STAFF ON THE IMPORTANCE OF CRITICAL REFORMS THAT WOULD PROTECT PATIENTS AND THE NEED FOR A STRONG AND INDEPENDENT FDA.

OTHER DFA PROGRAMS: DFA'S ORGANIZATIONAL FOCUS IS ON ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE CARE, COMMUNITY HEALTH & PREVENTION, AND HEALTH JUSTICE & EQUITY. OTHER PROGRAM WORK IN THOSE AREAS INCLUDED ADVOCACY ON AFFORDABLE DRUGS, BUILDING VACCINE TRUST AND COMBATTING MISINFORMATION, AS WELL AS WORK ON REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS, GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE, SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, AND WORK ON ADDRESSING THE CRISIS & HEALTH CARE CHALLENGES THAT INDIVIDUALS FACE AT OUR BORDERS.

MEDICAID EXPANSION: DFA KNOWS HOW IMPORTANT MEDICAID EXPANSION IS FOR OUR PATIENTS. WE ARE COMMITTED TO ADVOCATING FOR MEDICAID EXPANSION IN THE 11 STATES THAT HAVE NOT YET EXPANDED MEDICAID. IN-PERSON & VIRTUAL TRAININGS WERE HELD FOR DOCTORS, MEDICAL TRAINEES, & HEALTH ADVOCATES ON HOW TO EDUCATE LEGISLATORS, CONSUMER GROUPS, THE PUBLIC, AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS ON THE IMPORTANCE THAT ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE HAS ON MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES, SPECIFICALLY IN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. THE TRAINING HELPS PARTICIPANTS DRAW CONNECTIONS BETWEEN HEALTH AND THE ECONOMIC, EDUCATIONAL, PUBLIC SAFETY, ENVIRONMENTAL, & INFRASTRUCTURE POLICIES SOCIETY HAS IN PLACE.

GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION (GVP): DFA CONTINUES TO ENGAGE MEMBERS ON GVP IN TERMS OF ADVOCACY OPPORTUNITIES AROUND GV POLICY AND PROVIDE A RANGE OF OPTIONS FOR THEIR ENGAGEMENT. SAFE STORAGE IS A SUBJECT THAT ALMOST EVERY PHYSICIAN & MEDICAL STUDENT THINKS IS IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT WITH THEIR PATIENTS. IN 2022, DFA MEMBERS ORGANIZED A 4-HOUR TRAINING FOR PHYSICIANS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SAFE STORAGE. OTHER POLICIES THAT MEMBERS ADVOCATED FOR WERE THE IMPLEMENTATION OR CREATION OF EXTREME RISK PROTECTION ORDER LAWS AT THE STATE LEVEL.