AMA will take steps to promote diversity, equity, inclusion within the medical society and its journals<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
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THURSDAY, June 3, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Reacting to recent controversy, the American Medical Association (AMA) announced Thursday a series of steps it will take to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion within the medical society and its network of 12 journals.<\/p>\n
Howard Bauchner, M.D., editor-in-chief of the Journal of the American Medical Association <\/em>(JAMA<\/em>), is stepping down at the end of June, forced out over controversial statements made by one of his deputies in February. The deputy editor, Ed Livingston, M.D., argued in a JAMA<\/em> podcast that structural racism no longer exists in the United States or in the field of medicine. Those statements were “wrong, misguided and uninformed,” JAMA<\/em> said in an editorial published online June 3. “An extensive evidence base strongly supports the presence of structural racism in medicine and its adverse influence on health.”<\/p>\n Bauchner and his editorial team have issued apologies regarding the podcast and a related tweet, taking responsibility for a flawed review process that allowed it to be aired. “These events and developments make it clear that JAMA<\/em> and the JAMA<\/em> Network<\/em> Journals <\/em>can and must do better and advance toward inclusion and antiracism in all journal-related activities,” the editorial says. “Even though these journals have made progress, additional commitment and work are needed to build on and intensify these efforts to achieve meaningful, sustainable change.”<\/p>\n Along with the editorial, the AMA outlined a series of guidelines to improve its response to systemic racism. They include: making diversity, equity, and inclusion part of the mission statements of JAMA <\/em>and its network journals; appointing an editorial director of equity who will report directly to the JAMA<\/em> editor-in-chief, and a diversity committee that will track progress; convening a multidisciplinary summit to promote diversity; improving diversity among the editors, editorial boards, advisory committees, and editorial staff of JAMA<\/em> and network journals; expanding the editorial fellowship program and holding seminars on scientific writing to promote participation among underrepresented groups; and promoting and publishing more research on diversity, equity, and inclusion, including peer reviewers and opinion authors with expertise in diversity issues.<\/p>\n “This is all for the good. The intersection between society, health, and equity is clear and addressing structural racism, including in medical journalism, is essential to improving health,” the JAMA<\/em> guidelines say. “Change is a dynamic process and input is a key driver of change.”<\/p>\n