I was unhappy to see the editorial statement by APA President Harold I. Eist, M.D., in the March 7 issue on the importance of collaborating with the American Medical Association.

In response to the letter dated November 20 urging me to apply for membership, I wrote to Dr. Eist on January 13 observing that I had previously been a member of the AMA for a number of years but resigned when I was told that I would no longer be receiving the Archives of General Psychiatry as a benefit of membership. This privilege disappears when a physician attains the age of 65.

The American Psychiatric Association takes a strong stand against racial discrimination, gender discrimination, and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. I do not know why it should tolerate discrimination on the basis of age.

Mortimor Ostow, M.D.
New York, N.Y.

(Psychiatric News, April 4, 1997)