On May 27, the AMA released the following COVID-19 updates:
First, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its guidance on antibody testing, and the CDC guidance is now more closely aligned with AMA antibody testing guidelines. We have been raising concerns about the accuracy and utility of antibody tests, so we are pleased to see this policy refinement from the CDC which discourages using antibody test results to make policy decisions.
Second, the AMA sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) urging the agency to address the dire situation that American Indians and Alaskan Natives are facing when it comes to confronting the COVID-19 pandemic. The AMA is very concerned that promised federal funding to native populations has either been very slow to be released or has not reached many tribal nations at all. Such assistance is vitally important to ensure that the tribes have the resources to mount a full response to the virus.
Finally, we signed on to a letter to Congress with over 200 industry stakeholders calling on federal lawmakers to enact temporary and targeted liability relief legislation related to the COVID-19 pandemic. These crucial liability protections should safeguard businesses, non-profit organizations, and educational institutions, as well as health care providers and facilities from unfair lawsuits so that they can continue to contribute to a safe and effective recovery from this pandemic.
