Press Release

University of Washington School of Medicine Removes Race-Based Restrictions After Do No Harm Lawsuit

  • By Do No Harm Staff
  • January 10, 2025

RICHMOND, VA; January 10, 2024 – The University of Washington School of Medicine (UWSOM) has removed race-based restrictions from a physician networking directory after Do No Harm sued the program for racial discrimination.

Originally, only “black, indigenous and people of color” (BIPOC) students and physicians were eligible to participate in UWSOM’s Physicians Directory, a database of physicians that students could use for career advice. But on October 15, Do No Harm filed a lawsuit against UWSOM, claiming its directory violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act.

In response to Do No Harm’s lawsuit, UWSOM renamed the program “MD Connections,” and opened it to students of all races. Additionally, the school removed all mentions of race from the directory and revised its website to clarify that all students can participate in the program regardless of race or ethnicity. In light of these changes, Do No Harm has agreed to settle with UWSOM, and the case will be dismissed.

“This is a win for University of Washington’s medical students, the medical community, and the crucial principle of equality,” said Dr. Stanley Goldfarb, Chairman of Do No Harm. “We are pleased that UWSOM responded to our lawsuit by removing its discriminatory policies that barred certain students from career opportunities on the basis of race. We will continue to speak out and take legal action against any discriminatory programs that undermine the integrity of our medical system.”

Click here to read the joint stipulation of dismissal.

Click here to read the original lawsuit.

Do No Harm, established in April 2022, has rapidly gained recognition and made significant strides in its mission to safeguard healthcare from ideological threats. With 15,000 members, including doctors, nurses, physicians, and concerned citizens across all 50 states and 14 countries, DNH has achieved over 10,000 media hits in top-tier publications and garnered widespread attention through numerous broadcast news appearances.