ACP asks President Bush to Investigate Other US-controlled prisons
October 23, 2003
Honorable George W. Bush
President of the United States
The White House
Washington, DC
Dear Mr. President,
The American College of Physicians (ACP), the nation's largest medical specialty society, is concerned about reports of inhumane treatment of prisoners and detainees under US government supervision in Afghanistan and elsewhere in connection with the war on terrorism. On behalf of the ACP, I ask that you investigate the accuracy of published allegations of mistreatment of prisoners or detainees held by the U.S. government or its allies and determine if the U.S. government may have authorized or tolerated that inhumane treatment. The ACP also requests that you reaffirm the historic US policy mandating that U.S. government officials and allied governments treat prisoners and detainees humanely and, as appropriate based on further investigation, take any necessary steps to ensure that those held under US supervision will always be treated humanely and will not be transferred to the custody of governments known to routinely mistreat those held under their supervision.
In our position statements and Ethics Manual, the ACP has formally opposed interrogation techniques that inflict physical or psychological harm as a means of obtaining information and we have endorsed the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners. If the allegations of mistreatment were determined through further investigation to be accurate, the actions would constitute violations of both international law and the spirit and scope of official ACP policy. Any tolerance or authorization of such actions by the U.S. government would be especially alarming because of the lack of accountable public disclosure of conditions of imprisonment.
Physicians have a professional obligation to advocate for the health and human rights of all persons. If investigation shows evidence of it, we condemn the withholding of medical treatment or pain medication, regardless of motivation, from anyone suffering serious illness or injury. The alleged actions are in direct conflict with the physician's oath to "First do no harm." We are deeply concerned if physicians are being put in the untenable position of caring for prisoners and detainees who may have been mistreated. Whether they must passively accept the inhumane actions of others or are called upon to actively participate, the pressure to compromise their professional ethics is the same.
Respectfully,
Munsey S. Wheby, MD, FACP
President, American College of Physicians
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