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New Study Highlights Disconnect Between AMA’s Stance on Climate Change and Political Contributions

U.S. Capitol Building
Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

Over one-third of legislators funded by the medical association’s political action committee consistently voted against climate action

Boston, MA—Despite the American Medical Association’s (AMA) position that climate change is a public health crisis, a significant portion of its political action committee (AMPAC) donations have gone to lawmakers who consistently vote against climate action, according to a new study led by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard Medical School, and the University of Oxford.

“Given the clear health risks posed by climate change—which the AMA calls a crisis—it’s concerning that AMPAC is supporting legislators who are actively opposing meaningful climate policies,” said senior author Gaurab Basu, core faculty member at the Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment at Harvard Chan School. “Our findings raise important questions about how medical organizations are prioritizing public health when it comes to political contributions.”

The study was published January 14, 2025 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

The researchers reviewed AMPAC contributions made to the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate during the 118th Congress (January 2023 to January 2025). They used the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) National Environmental Scorecard to assess the voting behavior of AMPAC-funded legislators on 50 key climate-related bills.

The study found that in total, AMPAC donated over $1 million to 244 legislators. Of those legislators, 89—more than one-third—were classified as “anti-climate action” (voting against climate action over 90% of the time), while 147 were classified as “pro-climate action” (voting for climate action over 90% of the time). While non-climate related factors may affect how legislators vote on bills that address multiple issues, this classification reflects how legislators consistently voted for or against climate policies. Notably, AMPAC contributed more than $400,000 to those with anti-climate positions in the U.S. House and the Senate during that time frame.

The AMA, which represents over 190 medical societies across the United States, officially declared climate change a public health crisis in 2022. 

“Public policy can be a powerful tool to improve public health, particularly in critical areas like climate change,” said co-lead author Akila Muthukumar, a medical student at Harvard Medical School. “Medical organizations may benefit from using resources like the LCV scorecard when making political donations to support legislators who align with their policy stances.”

“Climate change is a public health crisis that hits vulnerable communities the hardest. We hope the AMA and other medical organizations can offer more targeted support for legislators who take these risks seriously and vote for actions that protect health,” added co-lead author Kavya Shah, a public policy student at the University of Oxford.

Infographic that shares major findings from the press release

For more information:

Anna Miller
amiller@hsph.harvard.edu

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About Harvard Chan C-CHANGE

The Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment at Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health (Harvard Chan C-CHANGE) seeks climate solutions that can provide for a healthier and more just world today and a livable future for our children. The Center convenes researchers from across disciplines at Harvard and beyond to tackle complex climate challenges. By evaluating climate solutions and making research accessible and actionable for decision makers and the public, we aim to improve health and health equity in communities around the world. To learn more visit https://hsph.harvard.edu/research/climate-health-c-change/ 


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