Evening star., 1938-12-20

-I1u|I LS-E Utuy FHOLOS.
forded the opportunity of obtaining,
and be not prevented from obtain
ing. memberships in medical
societies, consultations with other
doctors and the use of hospital
facilities.
(b) Power of certain defend
ants to exclude and to expel
doctors engaged in group prac-
tice on risk sharing prepay
ment basis from membership in
medical societies.
20. A large percentage of the doc
tors practicing in the District Of
Columbia Tin excess of 300 are
members of defendant, the Medical
Society of the District of Columbia,
and thus of defendant, American
Medical Association. There are ap-
proximately $4,000 doctors engaged
in practice in the United States.
Approximately 10000 doctors are
members of defendant American
Medical Association. Defendant
American Medical Association has
gross income of several million
dollars a year. and its investments
in capital assets have been and are
substantial; it employs about 500
persons in the conduct of its busi-
ness. Defendant American Medical
Association is engaged in the busi-
ness of publishing a weekly magazine
known as The Journal of the Amer
lean Medical Association. which has
a weekly circulation of approx
mately $4,000; it is the only medical
journal with an extensive circula-
ton among the members Of the med
ical profession. The said journal
contains section entitled "Organi-
zation Section" devoted to organi-
rational, business, economic and
social aspects of medical practice.
The said journal has been edited
and managed in such a manner as
to express the policy of defendant
American Medical Association and
of the individual defendants en-
ployed by it of opposition to group
medical practice on a risk sharing
prepayment basis and to further
the effectuation of such policy of
opposition. The columns of said
journal, have not been open for
the expression of contrary views
about group medical practice on a
risk k-sharing prepayment basis. De-
fendant American Medical Associa-
ton maintains bureau known as
the Bureau of Medical Economics,
which concerns itself with the eco
nomic organization of the practice
Of medicine. The said Bureau of
Medical Economics has taken lead
ing part in carrying out defendant
American Medical Associations poll
cy of opposing, discouraging and
suppressing group medical practice
on risk-sharing prepayment basis.
BY reason OF its size, organization
and activities, defendant American
Medical Association is the only i'm
portant society representative of the
medical profession in the United
States. The medical profession in
the United States and its policies
are influenced, and to a great ex-
tent controlled, by defendant Amer
lean Medical Association.
Principles Of Medical Ethics.
81. Defendant American Medical
Association has promulgated Ger
tain rules, called by 1t principles of
Medicals Ethics" which purport
to define the duties of doctors in
their relations with their patients
and among themselves. The con-
stituent and component societies
of defendant American Medical AS
sociation, including defendant the
Medical Society of the District OF
Columbia and defendant Harris
County Medical Society, have
adopted and they govern their men,
bers by the said principles OF
Medical Ethics" The members OF
defendant the Medical Society Of
the District of Columbia are re-
quired to, and do, pledge themselves
to comply with said principles
These so-called principles of Med
ical Ethics" are expressed in the
form of indefinite standards and
as interpreted and applied by de-
fendant American Medical Associa-
ton and its affiliated constituent
and component societies, are not
confined to requirements of ethical
moral, or legal conduct, but embody
as well purely economic restrictions
upon the practice of medicine
Under these rules, so interpreted, de-
fendant American Medical Associa-
ton and its affiliated constituent
and component societies can, and
frequently do, condemn as 'un-
ethical" group medical practice on
a risk sharing prepayment basis
principally because such practice is
in business competition with and
threatens the incomes of doctors
engaged in practice on q fee for
service basis, and particularly OF
doctors so practicing who are men,
bers of defendant American Medical
Association and it, adlliated con-
sutuent and component societies,