OB-GYN Leaders Confront Political Assault on Medical Science
When Dr Steven Fleischman assumed the presidency of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in 2025, he anticipated professional challenges but never foresaw the unprecedented political storm that would engulf American medicine. As the premier organisation representing over 62,000 OB-GYNs across the United States, ACOG finds itself at the forefront of a critical battle against what many describe as a systematic campaign to undermine scientific evidence in healthcare policy.
Challenging Official Guidance
The nonpartisan medical society has taken the extraordinary step of questioning guidance from established public health institutions, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This represents a significant departure from traditional medical practice, reflecting growing concerns about political interference in scientific matters. "That is terrible for patients," Fleischman acknowledged, "because it is really hard to figure out: 'Who do I listen to? I've always listened to the CDC. Am I not supposed to listen to the CDC? Who is this ACOG that's telling me something different?'"
The organisation has publicly criticised several Trump administration positions, including unfounded suggestions about Tylenol use during pregnancy, what it called an "alarmingly unbalanced" FDA panel on antidepressants, and changes to COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for pregnant women. These interventions reflect ACOG's commitment to evidence-based medicine amidst what some experts describe as a "guerrilla war against science" in the public sphere.
Financial Independence and Political Advocacy
In a bold move demonstrating its commitment to scientific integrity, ACOG became the first national medical society to reject federal funding from the Trump administration. This decision stemmed from concerns about executive orders restricting diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives among federally funded organisations. "I feel like we're seeing a lot of organizations, medical and otherwise, cave," observed Dr Kristin Lyerly, a Wisconsin-based OB-GYN and ACOG member. "I'm proud ACOG didn't."
The organisation's advocacy has expanded significantly since the Supreme Court's 2022 decision overturning Roe v Wade. ACOG has dramatically increased its state-level lobbying efforts, with its political action committee donating more than double the amount to local and state candidates during the 2024 election cycle compared to 2020. The group now plans to hire lobbyists in every state, reflecting the decentralised nature of reproductive health policy following the Dobbs decision.
Confronting Healthcare Access Challenges
ACOG is preparing its members for potentially devastating changes to healthcare access through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which could leave an estimated 10 million people without insurance and threaten hundreds of hospitals with service reductions or closures. The organisation is lobbying to protect pregnant and postpartum patients from losing Medicaid coverage and advocating for expanded access to rural emergency labour and delivery services.
"The reality is that this is a very scary time for many people," explained Rachel Gandell Tetlow, ACOG's vice-president of government and political affairs. "There have been fundamental changes made to our public health infrastructure, some of which may be irreparable, though I hope that's not the case. While ACOG cannot replace some of these entities or fix these monumental problems on our own, we can continue to be an unwavering voice in support of medical evidence."
Combatting Medical Misinformation
Recognising the erosion of public trust in medical institutions, ACOG has launched a comprehensive Combatting Misinformation initiative. This programme produces accessible papers addressing unfounded claims about hormonal birth control, abortion, sex education and vaccines, written in plain language with straightforward titles like Facts Are Important. The initiative aims to reach both healthcare providers and patients directly.
Fleischman emphasises the importance of personal relationships in rebuilding trust: "People don't like or don't trust healthcare right now, but they love their own physician. That is what we still have to hold onto – that idea of the trust that we have with our individual patients, which is why we're telling our members: 'Have these conversations, make sure you're educating people. They trust you.'"
As political pressure intensifies – with conservative organisations like the Heritage Foundation's Project 2025 specifically targeting ACOG as "pro-abortion" – the medical society continues its dual mission of providing clinical guidance to members while advocating for evidence-based policies. In an increasingly polarised healthcare landscape, ACOG's stance represents a significant defence of scientific integrity against political pressures that threaten to reshape American medicine fundamentally.
