The American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPM&R) strongly upholds the integrity of the patient-physician relationship as critical to providing safe, effective, and high-quality medical care. This relationship is central to the provision of healthcare and must be protected from unnecessary government interference that may undermine its importance.

Today’s Supreme Court announcement overturning Roe v. Wade is the latest example of intrusion by government and courts interfering with the patient-physician relationship, restricting access to care, and placing physicians in legal jeopardy.

To provide the best individualized care possible, physicians and patients need to continue to have the ability to make medical decisions together. AAPM&R opposes government interference in physician practice and opposes criminalizing physicians for adhering to their long-respected and private relationship with patients. AAPM&R expresses further concern with the increasing threat of violence against physicians and their staff resulting from government interference in care.

At a time when physicians and all healthcare workers are facing extreme challenges from a number of fronts including the excessive burden associated with workforce shortages, insurance burdens, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, intrusion by the government and any other interference to the practice of medicine is wholly unwelcome. AAPM&R espouses the virtue of the patient-physician relationship to provide care.