The American Medical Association has taken action to support doctors' ability to discuss obesity with their overweight patients.
Under a new policy adopted Tuesday, the AMA formally opposes efforts by advocacy groups to define obesity as a disability.
Doctors fear using that definition makes them vulnerable under disability laws to lawsuits from obese patients who don't want their doctors to discuss their weight.
Doctors took the action at their annual meeting in Chicago.
In other action Tuesday, the AMA agreed to lobby for legislation to ban selling tobacco in pharmacies.
Health care reform issues are slated to come up later at the meeting, which ends Wednesday.
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Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Under a new policy adopted Tuesday, the AMA formally opposes efforts by advocacy groups to define obesity as a disability.
Doctors fear using that definition makes them vulnerable under disability laws to lawsuits from obese patients who don't want their doctors to discuss their weight.
Doctors took the action at their annual meeting in Chicago.
In other action Tuesday, the AMA agreed to lobby for legislation to ban selling tobacco in pharmacies.
Health care reform issues are slated to come up later at the meeting, which ends Wednesday.
______
Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
