The College was strongly represented at the American Medical Association (AMA) Annual Meeting held in Chicago earlier this month. The AMA’s House of Delegates (HOD) serves as the organization’s principal policy-making body, and participation provides an important opportunity for ACAAI members to contribute to discussions shaping the future of healthcare.
At left: Dr. Leena Padhye and Dr. Deepa Patadia at the Medical Student Specialty Showcase
This year marked a significant milestone for the College. Due to strong representation from ACAAI members that also have AMA membership, the College earned two delegate and two alternate delegate positions in the AMA HOD—an achievement that has occurred only once before in the past three decades. ACAAI also sponsors 10 allergists to attend AMA annual and interim meetings, ensuring the specialty maintains an active presence within organized medicine.
Melinda Rathkopf, MD, MBA, FACAAI, an AMA HOD Alternate Delegate, described the experience as both rewarding and impactful. She participated in person for the first time and joined nearly 800 physicians representing a broad range of specialties. The meeting highlighted the importance of ACAAI’s involvement in national policy discussions and demonstrated how advocacy efforts progress from local and state levels to national consideration.
Longtime ACAAI Delegate Alnoor Malick, MD, FACAAI, emphasized the value of collaboration through the Chest/Allergy Caucus, where ACAAI works alongside six allergy and pulmonary organizations on issues affecting patient care and specialty practice. During this year’s meeting, the caucus supported resolutions promoting the integrity of scientific peer review and academic journal independence, as well as preserving access to metered-dose inhalers while encouraging efforts to reduce environmental PFAS exposure.
At right: Delegate Dr. Alnoor Malick and Alternate Delegate Dr. Melinda Rathkopf
First-time attendee Greg Bensch, MD, FACAAI, noted that ACAAI representatives engaged in discussions on several high-priority healthcare issues, including reducing prior authorization burdens, addressing Medicare physician payment cuts, and protecting Medicaid funding. These topics were among the many policy matters considered during the comprehensive meeting.
Beyond advocacy, ACAAI members also focused on inspiring the next generation of allergists. Early career physicians Deepa Patadia, MD, and Leena Padhye, MD, FACAAI, participated in the Medical Student Specialty Showcase, where they met with approximately 100 medical students and residents. The physicians introduced attendees to the field of allergy and immunology, discussed training pathways, and shared resources available through ACAAI.
This year was Dr. Padhye’s first AMA Annual Meeting. She noted important discussions within the Young Physicians Section on physician reimbursement, Medicaid preservation, and support for early-career physicians. She also valued participating in the Chest Caucus and learning more about the collaborative policy-development process within the AMA.
Delegate Dr. Purvi Parikh and Alternate Delegate Dr. Melinda Rathkopf
