The AOA and its state affiliates are leading efforts to protect patients, strengthen physician-led care and promote public health. Recent developments in South Carolina, Florida and New Jersey highlight the importance of this work.
On Sept. 10, 2025, the South Carolina Senate considered legislation with major implications for healthcare delivery. The South Carolina Osteopathic Medical Society (SCOMS), with AOA support, mobilized physicians to:
Through the Osteopathic Advocacy Network (OAN), physicians sent messages to lawmakers urging protection of the physician-led team model that ensures accountability and high-quality care.
In Florida, the AOA and the American College of Osteopathic Pediatricians (ACOP) opposed the state’s plan to eliminate childhood vaccine mandates. This proposal risks undermining evidence-based medicine and could reverse decades of progress against preventable diseases like measles. The joint letter to the Florida Surgeon General emphasized that vaccines remain one of the safest, most effective tools to protect children, families and communities.
In addition, the New Jersey Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons (NJAOPS) recently met with Congressman Frank Pallone, who is the ranking member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, to advance the Advocacy at Home campaign. These in-district conversations are especially important as the Sept. 30, 2025, funding deadline approaches, ensuring that osteopathic priorities remain front and center with key decision-makers.