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Why is the World Medical Association known as the global voice of doctors? Discover its influence and achievements!
The World Medical Association (WMA) is an independent international association representing doctors worldwide, established on September 17, 1947. By 2024, the association has expanded to medical associations in 114 countries, with 1,467 associate members, including young doctors and medical students, totaling more than 10 million doctors. The WMA maintains official relations with the World Health Organization (WHO) and seeks to work closely with the United Nations Special Rapporteur who reports specifically on the right to health care.
The organization was founded at a meeting of the British Medical Association in 1945, which discussed the idea of establishing an international medical organization to replace the international medical professional associations that had come to a standstill during World War II.
History of WMA
The first World Medical Association Congress was held in Paris in 1947, attracting physicians from 27 countries. To promote financial support, the WMA established a secretariat in New York in 1948, maintaining close ties with various United Nations agencies. In 1974, the Secretariat moved to Ferney-Voltaire, France, due to economic considerations, close to Geneva and several international organizations.
The WMA was founded to focus not only on the state of medical ethics, but also on the Declaration of Geneva, established in 1948 as a modernized Hippocratic Oath.
WMA Structure and Governance
The decision-making body of WMA is the General Assembly, which is held annually and consists of representatives of national member associations, officers of the WMA Board of Directors and representatives of associate members. The Council is elected every two years and the President is elected by all members and represents the political leadership of the WMA. On the other hand, the day-to-day running of the WMA is the responsibility of the Secretary General, currently Otmar Kloiber, who has held this position since 2005.
The working languages of WMA are English, French and Spanish, which have been used since its inception.
Membership
WMA membership is divided into several categories, including: national associations, collective organizations representing doctors from various countries, and individual members, all of whom can vote at the annual meeting and participate in corresponding meetings.
Controversial Events
In 2018, a WMA congress in Iceland sparked controversy when the Canadian Medical Association accused then-president Leonid Eidelman of plagiarizing other speakers in his speech. Although the Canadian delegation at the time proposed a motion calling for his resignation, it was unsuccessful. Ultimately, the Canadian Medical Association chose to withdraw from the WMA.
This incident highlights the importance of ethical standards within the organization, and all parties involved expressed that this incident should be taken seriously and responded to.
Influence of the World Medical Association
Through its broad membership base and collaboration with international organizations, WMA is able to speak out on global health issues, advocate for medical ethics and professional standards, and convey the voice of doctors to a higher level. WMA bridges the medical communities in different regions, thereby promoting information exchange and technology sharing. The documents it formulated, such as the International Code of Medical Ethics and the Tokyo Declaration, have pointed the way forward for the global medical industry.
Thanks to the efforts of this organization, doctors around the world can speak together on many medical issues, which makes them the true representatives of doctors and promotes medical progress.
So, in your opinion, is WMA influential enough to shape the future direction of healthcare?
