U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) on Monday introduced a bipartisan resolution in her chamber that would designate April 17-23 as National Osteopathic Medicine Week.
“National Osteopathic Medicine Week provides a chance to highlight the critical role of osteopathic medicine, innovative and intelligent practitioners, our West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine in Lewisburg, and its importance for the health of West Virginians,” Sen. Capito said in an April 17 statement.
Osteopathic medicine, founded in 1892, emphasizes a whole-person, patient-centric approach to health care. Osteopathic physicians have been critical in the fight against the COVID–19 pandemic working on the front lines treating patients, according to the text of the Senate resolution.
If enacted, the resolution would resolve that the Senate recognizes the contributions of osteopathic physicians to the healthcare system of the United States and celebrates the role that colleges of osteopathic medicine play in training the next generation of physicians, says the text of the proposal.
The proposed resolution is also supported by U.S. Sens. Roger Wicker (R-MS), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), and Chuck Grassley (R-IA).
“I’m proud to join a bipartisan group in introducing this resolution again, and look forward to continuing my support of those who provide these important health care services to communities across West Virginia,” said Sen. Capito, who cosponsored a similar resolution during the previous Congress.