AAFP Launches Web Resource on Presidential Hopefuls

The AAFP has taken steps to bring family medicine issues to the forefront in the 2008 U.S. presidential campaign.

In early May, the Academy launched a new Web-based resource, Campaign for U.S. President 2008, to keep its members updated and informed during the presidential primary process. The online resource lists each of the candidates running in the Democratic and Republican primaries and caucuses, gives a description of their positions on health care issues and indicates whether they have put forth proposals to pay for their health care plans. The site also contains a calendar that provides dates of scheduled candidate appearances, debates and primaries/caucuses leading up to the general election on November 6.

The Web resource will be updated on a regular basis, reflecting changes that occur during the primaries and caucuses.

"This is really helpful for our members -- to be able to go to one place on the Academy's Web site that has distilled down the viewpoints of the various candidates," said AAFP President Rick Kellerman, M.D., of Wichita, Kan. "Individual members will have more information to make clear decisions about who they support specific to health care topics," he added.

The AAFP, meanwhile, has sent out a survey asking the presidential candidates a series of questions about family medicine issues and will post the results of that survey on the campaign Web resource when they are available.