The physicians of the Philadelphia County Medical Society (PCMS) denounce the recent brutal, senseless acts of violence towards people of color by law enforcement officers. The killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, are the latest tragic examples of the ugly consequences of generations of systemic racism towards Black Americans.
PCMS joins the many medical and public health organizations in our country in declaring that systemic racism is taking a devastating toll on our way of life. These deadly, unjustified acts of police violence are human rights crimes that terrorize both individuals and entire communities.
PCMS supports the AMA Board of Trustees statement that recognizes that racism in its systemic, structural, institutional, and interpersonal form is a clear threat to public health. And that this pernicious form of hatred is a barrier to the advancement of health equity and to excellence in the delivery of medical care.
We will continue to actively work to dismantle racist and discriminatory health policies and practices. We in medicine are committed to promoting and ensuring a health care system that treats every person, regardless of race, with equality and compassion.
