The nation's broadest democratic assembly of physicians is in Chicago to begin a grassroots process that will shape and set the health care agenda of America's largest physician organization.

This week, the American Medical Association's House of Delegates becomes the center of American medicine. Delegations representing 180 medical societies will meet in a democratic forum to create a national physician consensus on issues in science, ethics and medicine, including many topics related to the ongoing health reform debate. This unifying consensus results in policies that not only give the AMA direction, but also act as the driving force to move the whole profession, even the nation, toward change.

Physicians are expected to vote on more that 200 policy recommendations, including:

· Guidelines for a flexible approach to Medicare payment reform.
· Support for the patient centered medical home.
· Stricter fines for violating federal guidelines on direct-to-consumer drug ads.
· Strategies to reduce medical student debt.
· Flu protection guidelines for airline travel.
· Questionable claims made for using hormones as anti-aging agents.
· Development of a healthier and sustainable food system.
· Appropriate supplementation levels for vitamin D.
· Use of tasers by law enforcement.
· Promoting awareness of male breast cancer.
· Reducing hospital acquired infections with new dress code guidelines.

For a comprehensive list of the items to be considered by the House of Delegates, please visit the AMA Web site at: http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/about-ama/our-people/house-delegates/2009-annual-meeting.shtml

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