Legal Worries Over "Obesity Disability"

The American Medical Association says it doesn't want to call obesity a "disability" because doctors may be legally vulnerable to lawsuits under disability laws. Doctors don't want to get sued by overweight patients who are sensitive to discussions of weight. See the Associated Press article below.

I guess my thought is this: instead of worrying about getting sued lets put some energy into figuring out how to help the overweight and obese in a kind and sensitive manner so that we do not feel disabled or discriminated against.

just sayin'!

CHICAGO (AP) — 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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