As male Urologists, it is our responsibility to state the obvious: we exist in a male-dominated specialty. The vast majority of Urologists are male, which is far from representative of the patient population we care for. While there has been progress in supporting women’s health care in our field—for both our patients and our Urologist colleagues—we move slowly and incrementally. Inadequate family leave, insufficient support for childcare, and inflexible work hours all impact women far more than men in our current environment. And our vast, persistent pay gap speaks to our current values loud and clear. But if anything, these prior failures lend more urgency to the present moment.

     The Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health is devastating. The impact that it will have on our patients, our colleagues, and our trainees is obvious, and the very least we can do is extend our understanding and support to those who need it most right now. So far, the American Urological Association has chosen to remain silent on this issue. Presumably concerned about staying in our lane, the AUA hasn’t issued its own statement or endorsed one from another society. Meanwhile, the list of medical organizations who have issued statements grows by the hour, and includes the American Medical Association, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and Association of American Medical Colleges. The Society of Women in Urology has also issued a statement, yet the male-dominated AUA has not.

     But on pivotal healthcare issues that impact medical providers and our patients, staying on the sidelines is a vote of support for the status quo. With the reversal of Roe v. Wade, our silence speaks volumes. In fact, as an organization charged with improving genitourinary and reproductive health, there is even more we can do than simply stating our opposition to this decision. Efforts from the AUA should include:

-       Supporting our members in getting abortions and caring for patients with abortions.

-       Starting a fund to help members get abortion access when needed.

-       Advocacy on Capitol Hill and in state legislatures to protect all reproductive healthcare services, stop government intrusion into these healthcare decisions, and defend medical providers from criminalization.  

-       Scheduling future conferences only in states that do not prosecute doctors for practicing medicine.

     On behalf of the authors of this letter and all those who submit their signatures, we ask the AUA to reconsider its position. It is time to support our female patients and colleagues and make our field stronger for generations to come.

Sincerely,

Todd Morgan, MD

Keith Kowalczyk, MD

Benjamin Davies, MD