1 00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:06,680 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Anny and Samantha. 2 00:00:06,680 --> 00:00:08,319 Speaker 2: Welcome to Steff. I never told your production by I 3 00:00:08,360 --> 00:00:08,680 Speaker 2: heard you. 4 00:00:18,600 --> 00:00:22,120 Speaker 3: For today's Activists around the World, we are doing an 5 00:00:22,280 --> 00:00:25,079 Speaker 3: organization and that's not strange for us, I know, I know, 6 00:00:25,239 --> 00:00:27,840 Speaker 3: but this one it's because they made a pretty interesting 7 00:00:27,920 --> 00:00:30,120 Speaker 3: decision and we wanted to talk about it. I did 8 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:31,400 Speaker 3: go back and forth about whether or not to do 9 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:33,159 Speaker 3: this as a Monday Mini but I decided to do 10 00:00:33,200 --> 00:00:35,080 Speaker 3: it as activists around the World because I think we 11 00:00:35,159 --> 00:00:39,720 Speaker 3: need to talk about this as an actual stance and activism. 12 00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:43,280 Speaker 3: So we're talking about the American College of Obstetricians and 13 00:00:43,320 --> 00:00:47,360 Speaker 3: guy Tocologists or the ACOG. So what we are specifically 14 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:50,840 Speaker 3: talking about is an announcement that happened this month August 15 00:00:50,880 --> 00:00:54,520 Speaker 3: of twenty twenty five, that one of the largest OBGYN 16 00:00:54,720 --> 00:00:59,000 Speaker 3: organizations in the US has rejected federal funding as a 17 00:00:59,080 --> 00:01:02,840 Speaker 3: response to the current governmental policies, so they've decided to 18 00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:04,080 Speaker 3: skip away. 19 00:01:03,840 --> 00:01:07,080 Speaker 1: From receiving any funds on their own free will. 20 00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:10,560 Speaker 3: So just I feel like that's really significant in this conversation, 21 00:01:11,080 --> 00:01:12,880 Speaker 3: and it seems that they may be one of the 22 00:01:13,160 --> 00:01:17,160 Speaker 3: first medical organizations to have done so, and it's sparking 23 00:01:17,240 --> 00:01:20,679 Speaker 3: a lot of conversation. So again I say this as 24 00:01:20,760 --> 00:01:23,840 Speaker 3: like an alleged because I think people in organizations and 25 00:01:23,880 --> 00:01:26,280 Speaker 3: news organizations and fact checkers are trying to actually go 26 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:28,600 Speaker 3: back through lots of history to see if this has 27 00:01:28,760 --> 00:01:31,720 Speaker 3: been done before. But as it stands as of today 28 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:35,280 Speaker 3: again August fifth, twenty twenty five, they're kind of at 29 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:39,080 Speaker 3: the first to reject and do such a thing. So again, 30 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:42,520 Speaker 3: before we talk about the significance of this, let's talk 31 00:01:42,560 --> 00:01:46,000 Speaker 3: about the organization in itself. So this is from their 32 00:01:46,080 --> 00:01:47,480 Speaker 3: site acog dot org. 33 00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:48,000 Speaker 1: Quote. 34 00:01:48,080 --> 00:01:52,080 Speaker 3: Founded in nineteen fifty one, ACOG is the premier professional 35 00:01:52,160 --> 00:01:57,160 Speaker 3: membership organization for obstetricians at Guynecologists. The college produces practice 36 00:01:57,200 --> 00:02:01,640 Speaker 3: guidelines for healthcare professionals and educational materi for patients, provides 37 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:05,840 Speaker 3: practice management and career support, facilitates programs and initiatives to 38 00:02:05,960 --> 00:02:09,840 Speaker 3: improve women's health, and advocates for members and patients. And 39 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:11,800 Speaker 3: on their site they go on to state their mission 40 00:02:11,840 --> 00:02:15,520 Speaker 3: and vision and core values, which talks about bettering families 41 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:20,200 Speaker 3: and communities that are seeking opgy in care with accessibility 42 00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:22,280 Speaker 3: to all, and that is a very big point of 43 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:27,120 Speaker 3: importance for them, and in their core values they respect 44 00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:29,519 Speaker 3: and equity as a part of that. And with that, 45 00:02:29,639 --> 00:02:33,640 Speaker 3: they also talk about their inclusion of DEI in their practice, 46 00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:36,960 Speaker 3: and they are standing firm in that, which it's nice 47 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:41,120 Speaker 3: to see. And though they aren't a perfect organizations, I 48 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:43,359 Speaker 3: think when I was going through trying to figure out 49 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:45,480 Speaker 3: exactly who they were what they were doing, they did 50 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:47,359 Speaker 3: have some controversies and they did come back with like, 51 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:49,000 Speaker 3: this is our response to this, and this and this. 52 00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:54,399 Speaker 3: They have worked to push back against this administration, specifically 53 00:02:54,680 --> 00:02:55,640 Speaker 3: especially when it comes to. 54 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:57,720 Speaker 1: The downfall of the Roe v ways. 55 00:02:57,760 --> 00:02:59,919 Speaker 3: So they were real upfront about how they felt about 56 00:03:00,880 --> 00:03:04,080 Speaker 3: as well as the attack on reproductive care at large. 57 00:03:04,520 --> 00:03:07,760 Speaker 3: So in twenty seventeen, they were outspoken about the way 58 00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:11,040 Speaker 3: the government rescinded a prior ruling that have help actually 59 00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:14,440 Speaker 3: women have more access to affordable health care. That is 60 00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:17,000 Speaker 3: specific to Title ten. We've talked about this before, go 61 00:03:17,120 --> 00:03:19,639 Speaker 3: back and listen to some of our other episodes. But 62 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:22,519 Speaker 3: at the time of the rescinding of the bill, it 63 00:03:22,639 --> 00:03:26,040 Speaker 3: cut funding to help people with birth control, breast cancer screening, 64 00:03:26,360 --> 00:03:30,120 Speaker 3: and even STD and SDI testing and counseling. Yes, that 65 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:33,000 Speaker 3: was a really targeted attack against planned parenthood. 66 00:03:33,160 --> 00:03:33,919 Speaker 1: If you don't remember. 67 00:03:34,320 --> 00:03:36,560 Speaker 3: We were very sad and it was caused chaos and 68 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:39,080 Speaker 3: it still has caused chaos. And it should be noted 69 00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:42,480 Speaker 3: that Title ten has never been able to be used 70 00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:45,200 Speaker 3: for abortion, which is kind of how they were going 71 00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:47,680 Speaker 3: after all of this and saying this doesn't need to happen, 72 00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:50,640 Speaker 3: this is against the law, you're killing babies. All that 73 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:54,960 Speaker 3: both rhetoric that we are very tired of. But they 74 00:03:55,000 --> 00:03:56,760 Speaker 3: were really at the forefront of talking about this and 75 00:03:56,840 --> 00:03:58,480 Speaker 3: how they were very much against this and what this 76 00:03:58,680 --> 00:04:00,880 Speaker 3: could do to healthcare with the can do to women 77 00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:03,040 Speaker 3: and those who need these types of screening. 78 00:04:04,600 --> 00:04:06,560 Speaker 1: So it was a lot. So they've been there. They've 79 00:04:06,640 --> 00:04:07,160 Speaker 1: been there in. 80 00:04:07,160 --> 00:04:09,360 Speaker 3: Twenty thirteen that had a whole other article and whole 81 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:12,800 Speaker 3: of publishing about needing more medicaid access. I'm telling you, 82 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:15,160 Speaker 3: like the things that I've read, they've definitely been on point. 83 00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:18,440 Speaker 3: And with the current state of the AHHS and the government, 84 00:04:18,640 --> 00:04:22,839 Speaker 3: the ACOG took a fairly significant stance in protesting against 85 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:26,080 Speaker 3: this administration. So this is from an Axios article. They 86 00:04:26,120 --> 00:04:29,240 Speaker 3: say quote. ACOG sent an email to members last week 87 00:04:29,400 --> 00:04:32,840 Speaker 3: notifying them that it will stop accepting federal funding for 88 00:04:33,080 --> 00:04:37,720 Speaker 3: current contracts quote. After careful deliberation, ACOG has made an 89 00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:41,640 Speaker 3: organization wide decision to stop accepting federal funding for all 90 00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:46,680 Speaker 3: ACOG programs and activities for current contracts. The organization set 91 00:04:46,720 --> 00:04:50,000 Speaker 3: in a statement shared with Axios, they want recent changes 92 00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:54,640 Speaker 3: in federal funding laws and regulations significantly impact ACOG's program goals, 93 00:04:54,839 --> 00:04:58,400 Speaker 3: policy positions, and ability to provide timely in evidence based 94 00:04:58,520 --> 00:05:02,600 Speaker 3: guidance and recommendation for care. We remain fully committed to 95 00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:05,680 Speaker 3: this critical work and will allocate our own resources to 96 00:05:05,839 --> 00:05:08,080 Speaker 3: continue it in a way that is centered on patient's 97 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:11,760 Speaker 3: needs and grounded in evidence. The organization will continue to 98 00:05:11,839 --> 00:05:15,440 Speaker 3: engage with the federal government on policy advocacy, ACOG said, 99 00:05:15,880 --> 00:05:17,120 Speaker 3: so they're still working. 100 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:18,320 Speaker 1: With the government. 101 00:05:18,360 --> 00:05:20,040 Speaker 3: They do talk about that and that they will try 102 00:05:20,160 --> 00:05:22,760 Speaker 3: to work with Trump administration, but they don't want to 103 00:05:22,800 --> 00:05:26,119 Speaker 3: be tied down by those funds. So there are several 104 00:05:26,200 --> 00:05:28,880 Speaker 3: aspects to this decision. Again, it makes it really impactful, 105 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:30,960 Speaker 3: and one of the most noted things is a response 106 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:35,039 Speaker 3: to the HS and Secretary Kennedy's current policies and implementations. 107 00:05:35,320 --> 00:05:38,880 Speaker 3: Again from the Axios article quote, ACOG is one of 108 00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:43,119 Speaker 3: a few medical associations vocally pushing back against President Trump 109 00:05:43,279 --> 00:05:47,600 Speaker 3: and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Junior's health policy shifts. 110 00:05:47,760 --> 00:05:51,599 Speaker 3: Healthcare during pregnancy has become a flashpoint. Kennedy has removed 111 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:55,120 Speaker 3: the recommendations that pregnant people will get COVID nineteen vaccinations, 112 00:05:55,400 --> 00:05:57,719 Speaker 3: and a recent advisory panel to the Food and Drug 113 00:05:57,760 --> 00:06:01,920 Speaker 3: Administration casts out on the safety of antidepresses during pregnancy. 114 00:06:02,600 --> 00:06:05,960 Speaker 3: ACOG said deav afterward that the composition of the panel 115 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:09,919 Speaker 3: was quote alarmingly unbalanced, and that there's a robust evidence 116 00:06:09,960 --> 00:06:13,920 Speaker 3: showing the medications are safe during pregnancy. The American Academy 117 00:06:13,960 --> 00:06:18,320 Speaker 3: of Pediatrics has also publicly opposed recent HHS actions. The 118 00:06:18,440 --> 00:06:23,120 Speaker 3: group boycotted a June meeting of Kennedy's handpicked vaccine Advisory Committee, 119 00:06:23,160 --> 00:06:26,240 Speaker 3: saying a June purge of the panel's seventeen advisory compromise 120 00:06:26,279 --> 00:06:30,360 Speaker 3: its credibility. So they were definitely going after this, and 121 00:06:30,400 --> 00:06:33,039 Speaker 3: they're making a stance because of all these types of changes. 122 00:06:33,680 --> 00:06:35,960 Speaker 3: Something of note as well is that they have been 123 00:06:36,120 --> 00:06:40,640 Speaker 3: very vocal about expanding healthcare access for all women, including 124 00:06:40,760 --> 00:06:45,120 Speaker 3: expanding and protecting Medicaid for women. Their ACOG Committee Committee 125 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:49,440 Speaker 3: on Healthcare for Underserved Women wrote this opinion quote. Medicaid, 126 00:06:49,680 --> 00:06:53,360 Speaker 3: the state federal health insurance program for individuals with low incomes, 127 00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:57,800 Speaker 3: serves as a safety net for women throughout the lifespan. Historically, 128 00:06:58,160 --> 00:07:01,320 Speaker 3: expansions of Medicaid have been associated with improved access to 129 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:05,120 Speaker 3: healthcare less than laid, obtaining health care, better self reported health, 130 00:07:05,200 --> 00:07:09,159 Speaker 3: and reductions in mortality. This Committee opinion has been revised 131 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:13,120 Speaker 3: to emphasize the importance of medicaid to improve women's health, 132 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:16,920 Speaker 3: the history and growth of Medicaid, including the ACA's Medicaid expansion, 133 00:07:17,240 --> 00:07:19,840 Speaker 3: and the mechanisms by which changes to the Medicaid program 134 00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:23,240 Speaker 3: can occur. It includes relevant examples for each So some 135 00:07:23,360 --> 00:07:26,080 Speaker 3: of the recommendations and examples, they include our protections for 136 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:30,320 Speaker 3: Medicaid benefits, extending pregnancy related Medicaid coverage, and of course 137 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:34,560 Speaker 3: it opposes decreasing Medicaid services for women's health. So they're 138 00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:37,080 Speaker 3: doing a lot and they've I think this original article 139 00:07:37,200 --> 00:07:39,040 Speaker 3: was written I want to say, like two thousand and seven, 140 00:07:39,280 --> 00:07:41,840 Speaker 3: so about twenty years ago, and they just reempted because 141 00:07:41,840 --> 00:07:44,320 Speaker 3: they're like, no, really, we've been studying this for years. 142 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:47,280 Speaker 3: We know what we're talking about. They need more services, 143 00:07:47,360 --> 00:07:51,240 Speaker 3: not less, which is not happening, and if you're wondering, 144 00:07:51,520 --> 00:07:54,800 Speaker 3: the response from the administration ranges from the president is 145 00:07:54,840 --> 00:07:58,720 Speaker 3: protecting people from un leveled policies like DEI, which in 146 00:07:58,800 --> 00:08:01,800 Speaker 3: one article does talk about the fact that they beat 147 00:08:01,880 --> 00:08:05,040 Speaker 3: ACOG was not accepting funding because of this. 148 00:08:05,120 --> 00:08:07,960 Speaker 1: Specifically they're saying, no, we're going to keep our DEI. 149 00:08:08,080 --> 00:08:08,720 Speaker 1: It is important. 150 00:08:09,040 --> 00:08:11,920 Speaker 3: And also the administration going, oh good, they're saving the 151 00:08:11,960 --> 00:08:15,920 Speaker 3: government money. And not that our listeners need this reminder, 152 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:19,440 Speaker 3: but no, these grant cuts are not giving us money back. 153 00:08:19,560 --> 00:08:23,600 Speaker 3: That's that's not how this works. They're redistributing it to 154 00:08:23,800 --> 00:08:28,640 Speaker 3: things like funding war funding, private equities and corporations. I know, again, 155 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:30,560 Speaker 3: I'm preaching to the choir, so I know no one 156 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:32,920 Speaker 3: really needs to know that, but just a quick reminder. 157 00:08:32,920 --> 00:08:34,280 Speaker 3: If someone were to pop in and be like, what's 158 00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:36,679 Speaker 3: this about and they don't know what we're about, there 159 00:08:36,679 --> 00:08:39,520 Speaker 3: you go. And I haven't read if any other organizations 160 00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:41,880 Speaker 3: are taking these types of stands. Obviously, we did read 161 00:08:41,960 --> 00:08:44,280 Speaker 3: one that said that they are literally protested that I 162 00:08:44,400 --> 00:08:46,320 Speaker 3: don't know if they're like, no, I don't want the money, 163 00:08:46,880 --> 00:08:49,360 Speaker 3: but it is interesting to note who is doing what 164 00:08:49,720 --> 00:08:53,439 Speaker 3: during this weird like apocalyptic fill time, and so we 165 00:08:53,520 --> 00:08:54,839 Speaker 3: do want to talk about the fact that that is 166 00:08:54,880 --> 00:08:57,679 Speaker 3: really important. Now. I think they said they receive around 167 00:08:57,760 --> 00:09:02,240 Speaker 3: nine hundred thousand dollars in grand Es So no word 168 00:09:02,280 --> 00:09:05,439 Speaker 3: as to how they're reshifting and trying to find funds 169 00:09:05,480 --> 00:09:09,920 Speaker 3: that they are depending on this fund so these funds specifically, 170 00:09:10,080 --> 00:09:11,880 Speaker 3: So it is something that we need to know. But 171 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:14,000 Speaker 3: it is also good to know that organizations aren't being 172 00:09:14,000 --> 00:09:17,080 Speaker 3: bought out and they realize how dangerous these policies really are. 173 00:09:17,720 --> 00:09:21,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, and listeners, as always, please let us know if 174 00:09:21,440 --> 00:09:25,280 Speaker 2: you have any organizations or any other examples of this happening, 175 00:09:25,559 --> 00:09:29,000 Speaker 2: any thoughts about this. You can email us at Hello 176 00:09:29,040 --> 00:09:31,360 Speaker 2: at Stuffmondever Told You dot com. You can find us 177 00:09:31,400 --> 00:09:34,120 Speaker 2: on Blue Sky at mom Stuff podcast, or on Instagram 178 00:09:34,200 --> 00:09:36,840 Speaker 2: and TikTok at stuff One Never Told You. We're also 179 00:09:36,840 --> 00:09:38,200 Speaker 2: on YouTube and we have a book you can get 180 00:09:38,200 --> 00:09:40,360 Speaker 2: wherever you get your books. Thanks as always too, our 181 00:09:40,400 --> 00:09:43,120 Speaker 2: super producer Christina or exacted prucer My and a contributed Joey. 182 00:09:43,320 --> 00:09:45,000 Speaker 1: Thank you and thanks to you for listening. 183 00:09:45,120 --> 00:09:46,840 Speaker 2: Stuff I Never Told You is production by Heart Radio 184 00:09:46,880 --> 00:09:48,440 Speaker 2: for WUR podcasts. From my Heart Radio. 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