Advocacy group warns med schools of civil rights violations if they comply with suspension of Israeli student org
A nonprofit opposed to leftist ideology in health care is warning medical schools about a suspension against an Israeli medical group.
Do No Harm has sent letters to medical schools saying that they would violate civil rights laws if they comply with a 'blatantly antisemitic' suspension of the Federation of Israeli Medical Students.
A nonprofit opposed to leftist ideology in health care is warning medical schools about a suspension against an Israeli medical group.
Do No Harm has sent letters to American medical schools saying that they would violate the 1964 Civil Rights Act if they comply with the International Federation of Medical Students’ Association’s (IFMSA) “blatantly antisemitic” suspension of the Federation of Israeli Medical Students (FIMS).
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In a Sept. 25 letter obtained by The Daily Caller, Do No Harm called out the IFMSA for engaging “in blatant and unlawful antisemitism by terminating the members of the Federation of Israeli Medical Students.”
“Although the IFMSA rationalized its decision as a punishment for behavior by FIMS, reporting reflects this reasoning was a facade, and the decision was instead based on blatantly antisemitic factors,” which Do No Harm identified as including “false accusations of ‘genocide’ denial,” “the fact that members of the Israeli medical students’ organization serve in the Israeli military,” “the presence of students from a Jewish university,” and “alleged threats against medical students, online harassment, and hate speech.”
The IFMSA, which is affiliated with nearly 1.5 million medical students and from over 130 nations, suspended FIMS through August 2026 for allegations like “threats against medical students, online harassment and hate speech,” according to the organization’s Aug. 9 press release. The organization also “calls upon all internal and external parties to refrain from spreading misinformation regarding this decision and to contact the IFMSA Officials for any inquiries.”
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Do No Harm’s letter has requested that each medical school provide confirmation that “no programs, research, collaborations, conferences, fellowship opportunities, scholarships, publications or any other function… will be limited, curtailed, suspended or otherwise impacted for Jewish students, Israeli students, or anyone affiliated with Israeli medical institutions.”
“Medical schools must not help IFMSA perpetrate this antisemitic injustice against Israeli students,” Do No Harm Chairman Stanley Goldfarb said in a press release. “Any school doing this will be in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and will be held accountable.”
In a statement shared with Campus Reform, Dr. Goldfarb said: “We will continue to press medical schools to commit to protecting their Jewish students as antisemitism runs rampant across college campuses. Students of all backgrounds have the right to learn in a safe and collegial environment.”
Campus Reform has contacted IFMSA for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
