The American Medical Association ( AMA ), voted to adopt new policies on emerging health care topics during the first day of voting at its annual meeting, held June 8-12 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago.
Among other things, the AMA's House of Delegates took action to help prevent anti-transgender violence.
To highlight the discrimination and physical dangers faced by the LGBTQ community, and the disturbing pattern of violence toward black transgender women, the physicians and medical students gathered at the AMA Annual Meeting adopted policy directing the AMA to:
Form partnerships with other medical organizations and stakeholders to educate members of the public, legislatures and law enforcement using verified data on hate crimes against transgender individuals and highlight the disproportionate number fatal attacks on black transgender women;
Advocate for consistent collection and reporting of data on hate crimes across all levels of law enforcement that includes demographic information on a victim's birth sex and gender identity;
Advocate for a central law enforcement database to collect data on reported hate crimes that correctly identifies a victim's birth sex and gender identity;
Advocate for stronger law enforcement policies regarding interactions with transgender individuals in order to prevent bias and mistreatment and increase community trust; and
Advocate for local, state, and federal efforts that will increase access to mental health treatment and address the health disparities that LGBTQ individuals experience.
Also, the AMA will support state policies allowing minors to override their parent's refusal for vaccinations. The AMA will also support the posting of signs, notices, posters, placards and other educational material in local clinics, emergency departments and other medical settings to provide information about reporting human-trafficking activities, or provide information that connects victims and survivors with assistance.