Mission and History – Physicians for Reproductive Health

Our Focus Our Approach Our Beginnings Our Legacy Breaking the Silence

Our Mission

Physicians for Reproductive Health unites the medical community and concerned supporters. Together, we work to improve access to comprehensive reproductive health care, including contraception and abortion, especially to meet the health care needs of economically disadvantaged patients.

We bring the physician’s distinctive voice to debates over reproductive health care.
We provide leadership and tools so that physicians can speak up and take action.
We use scientific expertise and our patients’ real-life experiences to influence legislation, medical practice, and public opinion.
We advocate for reproductive health as a core part of all medical curricula.
We train doctors to educate their colleagues and other health professionals on best practices in reproductive and sexual health care.
We offer the strength of our network to physicians all over the world.

Our Focus

Ensuring safe and legal access to the care we all deserve.

Abortion

Upholding access to safe, legal care for everyone

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Contraception

Ensuring everyone has access to the best family planning method for them

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Access to Care

Advocating for all reproductive health care needs over the course of a lifetime

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Our Approach

Amplifying physician voices to bring scientific expertise to the public.

Media

We bring medical knowledge and evidence to the conversation.

Policy

We break down what bills will mean for our patients and physicians, and we advocate for better policies.

Courts

We bring facts to the courts so that legal action can be fully informed.

Empowering medical providers with our training and resources.

Leadership Training Academy

Guiding physicians to be strong advocates for reproductive health Learn more

Medical Education

Educating providers, residents, and medical students with comprehensive information Learn more

Partnership for Abortion Provider Safety

Our newest initiative Learn more

Our Beginnings

Physicians for Reproductive Health was founded in 1992 by a small committee of concerned physicians in New York City, where we opened our first national office in 1995. Since then, our presence has spread from coast to coast enabling us to conduct our recruiting, organizing, advocacy, and educational activities at the grassroots level.

Our Legacy

1992

A group of concerned physicians, led by Dr. Seymour Romney (right), gather in New York City to discuss the continuing conflict over reproductive health issues. This initial group becomes the 15-member steering committee for The Society of Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health.

1993

The Society elects a 17-member board of physicians, diversified in age, race, ethnicity, geographic location, medical specialty, and gender. The first national board meeting takes place under the leadership of founding chair Seymour Romney, MD.

1998

Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health (PRCH) sponsors its first media training workshop for physicians from around the country in Washington, DC, and conducts the first advocacy day to support Title X.

2000

PRCH and partners launch the Medical Abortion Education Project and starts producing educational materials for physicians and their patients.

2002

The documentary Voices of Choice: Physicians Who Provided Abortions Before Roe v. Wade features physicians who provided abortions, both legally and illegally, before the landmark 1973 decision.

2003

The Leadership Training Initiative, an advocacy and communications training program for physicians launches.

2006

PRCH presents the inaugural William K. Rashbaum, MD, Abortion Provider Award (Rashbaum in photo) at an event in honor of the National Day of Appreciation for Abortion Providers. The inaugural William K. Rashbaum, MD Award is presented to Dr. Shalom Press, a physician in Buffalo, New York.

2008

PRCH organizes physicians to defeat proposed federal restrictions on reproductive health care.

2009

The inaugural class of the Leadership Training Academy has 21 physicians from four specialties: obstetrics/gynecology, maternal fetal medicine, family medicine, and adolescent medicine. The first session culminates in an advocacy day on Capitol Hill.

2011

PRCH and colleague organizations successfully pressure the Department of Health and Human Services to adopt recommendations requiring health insurance providers to cover contraception without copays.

2013

Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health officially becomes Physicians for Reproductive Health.

2015

Physicians files an amicus brief before the United States Supreme Court for Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt, and joins hundreds of reproductive rights supporters who rally on the steps of the Supreme Court of the United States during oral arguments.

Breaking the Silence

My decision to quickly end my pregnancy was to protect my health and to allow me to be a mother for my children. I am so grateful to the doctors and nurses who helped me maintain my health.

—Renee, Texas

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