American College of Pediatricians

The American College of Pediatricians (ACPeds) is a medical association of pediatricians and other pediatric healthcare professionals in the United States. ACPeds was founded in 2002 by a group of pediatricians, including former president of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Dr. Joseph Zanga, who were concerned about the AAP's stances on a number of issues. [" [http://acpeds.org/?CONTEXT=art&cat=1002&art=150&BISKIT=3443231063 A Brief History of the College] ; third papagraph.] The College produces policy statements on child development to assist parents and to influence society in the endeavor of childrearing. [" [http://www.acpeds.org/?BISKIT=3768858418&CONTEXT=cat&cat=10002 About Us] " at acpeds.org.]

= Objectives [" [http://www.acpeds.org/?CONTEXT=art&cat=10002&art=162&BISKIT=1249745275 Objectives of the College] "] =

* To foster and stimulate improvement in all aspects of healthcare of infants, children, and adolescents;
* To promote the basic father-mother family unit as the optimal setting for childhood development, while pledging to support all children, regardless of their circumstances;
* To advocate for children at all stages of development, from conception to young adulthood;
* To cultivate and encourage parental responsibility for, and involvement in, the child's life;
* To engender the honest interpretation of scientific pediatric research, without deference to current political persuasions;
* To promote the highest standards of medical practice among its members and within the field of pediatrics;
* To encourage and support sound, ethical, scientific research in all aspects of healthcare for infants, children, and adolescents; and
* To cooperate with other organizations having similar purposes and standards

Issue positions

The positions taken by the American College of Pediatricians are socially conservative. These positions include:

* Opposition to adoption by homosexual individuals
* Support for parentally guided access of young children's television viewing
* Support parental choice regarding HPV vaccinations for young children (as opposed to legal mandates)
* Opposition to the legalization of marijuana use
* Support for the right to life of preborn children [cite web|title = Position Statements | publisher = American College of Pediatricians | url = http://www.acpeds.org/?BISKIT=4184568379&CONTEXT=cat&cat=22 | accessdate = 2007-12-26]
* Defense of traditional mother-father heterosexual marriage ["Pediatricians Defend the Family" at www.acpeds.org]

References

External links

* [http://www.acpeds.org/ Official site]