American Medical Association
In 1847, the American Medical Association (AMA) was founded for promote the science of medicine and the betterment of public health, and dedicated to improving health and well-being through both clinical and community strategies. And it directed policy recommendations toward implementing strategies related to emerging discoveries in sanitation and hygiene. In this twentieth century, biological and technological advances were used by both medical and public health practitioners to implement highly effective strategies for improving public health. By the mid-1950s, cancer and other chronic diseases had replaced infectious diseases as the main causes of death and during the latter half of the century it became clear to both medical and public health practitioners that personal behaviors such as tobacco use, violence, alcohol misuse, and unsafe sexual practices were responsible for most morbidity and premature mortality.
Today the AMA controls preventive services for adolescents; tobacco control; prevention of alcohol use among youth; special care of the elderly including health literacy; organ donation; training in end-of-life care; and both domestic and youth violence prevention. It has the almost 300,000 and maintains a stewardship for ensuring both the standards of the profession and for promoting the health of the nation. The AMA functions as federations and Representatives from medical societies in all states and many counties, from medical specialty organizations, and from federal health organizations comprise the AMA House of Delegates.
