FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Doctors for America
PO Box: 21161
2300 18th St NW Lbby
Washington, DC 20009-9996
November 5, 2025
Doctors for America’s Statement on Making the Case for Patient-Centered Policy
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following publication of Drs. Makary and Prasad’s piece entitled “Priorities for a New FDA” in JAMA in June 2025, the Doctors for America (DFA) FDA Task Force wrote a letter in response welcoming the intent to pursue new solutions at the FDA, but also expressing concerns that proposed policies appear rushed with potential undue impacts on patients. We thank Drs. Markary and Prasad for their response to our letter and their commitment to scientific rigor and a healthier population. However, their characterization of both Doctors for America and the concerns raised in our letter is inaccurate and dismissive of the substantive issues at stake.
Doctors for America is a 501(c)(3) organization representing more than 42,000 volunteer physicians and medical trainees whose mission is to put patients over politics in practice and in policy. Originally formed in 2009 out of the grassroots energy of Doctors for Obama, DFA has since become a proudly nonpartisan movement dedicated solely to advancing the health and well-being of patients and communities. We scrupulously adhere to all rules governing nonprofit advocacy and operations, providing the perspective of practicing physicians and the patients we serve to all policymakers, regardless of party affiliation. We agree with FDA leadership about the importance of removing conflicts of interest and thus, DFA has never accepted funding or resources from any company engaged in the business side of medicine, allowing our members to speak with integrity and independence on behalf of our patients—supporting policies that promote their health and questioning those that do not.
Since its inception in 2012, the Doctors for America FDA Task Force has advocated for an FDA that functions as a scientific regulator—ensuring that patients have timely access to drugs, vaccines, medical devices, and other products proven to be safe and effective. We share many of the same goals expressed by Drs. Makary and Prasad regarding the FDA’s mission. Across administrations, we have consistently used our voice as physicians to support the agency in legislative discussions and direct engagement with its officials.
When FDA policy appears misaligned with improving patient health, or when there is dissonance between regulatory actions and both scientific evidence and the lived experiences of clinicians, we speak out. This is not partisanship; it is constancy of purpose—a steadfast commitment to science, integrity, and patient well-being.
In our effort to consistently work for a better FDA, the DFA FDA Task Force analyzes policy proposals in the context of whether they will benefit our patients. As physicians, we know when that exam room door closes, we bear the ultimate responsibility for all decisions made in that room. Our position is clear: when policy changes support our ability to make the right decisions for our patients, we will work alongside the FDA for their implementation.
Doctors for America welcomes continued collaboration focused on our shared values and on ensuring that the FDA remains an institution rooted in science, transparency, and public trust—not in defensiveness or political rhetoric. We stand ready to work alongside the agency to translate these shared principles into effective policy action that improves the lives and health of our patients.
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About Doctors for America
Doctors for America (DFA) is a national nonprofit that mobilizes over 40,000 physicians and medical trainees to advocate for policies that improve the health of patients and communities. Through advocacy training and action at the state and federal levels, DFA works to expand access to affordable care, strengthen community health and prevention efforts, and advance health justice and equity. We do not accept funding from pharmaceutical, insurance, or for-profit health care entities, ensuring our work remains fiercely independent and patient-centered. DFA puts patients over politics—and over profits. Find out more at doctorsforamerica.org and on Twitter drsforamerica or Bluesky drsforamerica.bsky.social.