FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
Friday, Oct. 30, 2020

Statement attributable to:
Ada D. Stewart, MD
President
American Academy of Family Physicians

“Capturing accurate data on COVID-19-related deaths is critical in understanding how to help communities live in the midst of a global pandemic. Suggesting that physicians are artificially inflating COVID-19 mortality numbers for financial gain undermines the global standards for tracking this important information.

“COVID-19 can cause additional medical conditions, such as a stroke or pneumonia, generate long-term effects, or exacerbate existing controllable medical conditions that can result in death. Had it not been for COVID-19, these patients would likely still be with us today.

“We would like to thank family physicians and all other health care professionals for the personal sacrifices they continue to make to help us fight this terrible virus.”

Editor's Note: To arrange an interview with Dr. Stewart,  contact Megan Moriarty, 913-302-8627, or mmoriarty@aafp.org.

###

Founded in 1947, the AAFP represents 136,700 physicians and medical students nationwide. It is the largest medical society devoted solely to primary care. Family physicians conduct approximately one in five office visits -- that’s 192 million visits annually or 48 percent more than the next most visited medical specialty. Today, family physicians provide more care for America’s underserved and rural populations than any other medical specialty. Family medicine’s cornerstone is an ongoing, personal patient-physician relationship focused on integrated care.  To learn more about the specialty of family medicine, the AAFP's positions on issues and clinical care, and for downloadable multi-media highlighting family medicine, visit www.aafp.org/media. For information about health care, health conditions and wellness, please visit the AAFP’s award-winning consumer website, www.familydoctor.org