The American Medical Association, in a rare move by a national organization, will issue a formal apology today for its past treatment of black doctors. Ronald M. Davis, a past president of the association, wrote in the July 16th issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, "The medical profession, which is based on a boundless respect for human life, had an obligation to lead society away from disrespect of so many lives. The AMA failed to do so and has apologized for that failure." The apology comes after a panel was put together to examine the historical failures of the AMA when it came to segregation and racism.

Specifically, the panel noted that the AMA permitted state and local medical associations to exclude black physicians, effectively barring these doctors from the national organization. In the early 20th century, the organization listed black doctors as "colored" in its national physician directory. In addition, the AMA was silent during debates over the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964, and, for years, declined to join efforts to force hospitals built with federal funds to not discriminate.

News of the apology has been well-received by blacks in the medical community, but the current climate can't be ignored. "Any sort of acknowledgment that blacks were excluded is a positive step," said Otis Brawley, president of the National Medical Association, a black organization formed in 1895 as a response to blacks' exclusion from the AMA. "But I'm much more interested in the future than in the past. I would like to see a focus on getting quality care for all people." [WP]