Political Advocacy Groups

"Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) is a national legal-action organization solely devoted to the many problems of smoking. For more than 40 years ASH has served as the legal-action arm of the antismoking community. ASH's mission is to: protect nonsmokers from the clearly-established dangers of secondhand tobacco smoke; reduce the deadly toll of smoking by banning the advertising and promotion of cigarettes, and by keeping them out of the hands of children; force those who use or profit from tobacco to pay the enormous costs of smoking which are now borne largely by nonsmokers; end all government support of the tobacco industry; serve as a clearinghouse of information and ideas for all people concerned about smoking, both here and abroad." (http://ash.org/mission.html)

Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety "is an alliance of consumer, health and safety groups and insurance companies and agents working together to make America's roads safer. Advocates encourages the adoption of federal and state laws, policies and programs that save lives and reduce injuries. By joining its resources with others, Advocates helps build coalitions to increase participation of a wide array of groups in public policy initiatives which advance highway and auto safety." (http://www.saferoads.org)

"The American Association of Birth Centers promotes and supports birth centers as a means to uphold the rights of healthy women and their families, in all communities, to birth their children in an environment which is safe, sensitive and cost effective with minimal intervention." (http://www.birthcenters.org/about-aabc/mission)

"The American Cancer Society is the nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and service." (http://www.cancer.org/AboutUs/WhoWeAre/acsmissionstatements)

"ACSH's mission is to ensure that peer-reviewed mainstream science reaches the public, the media, and the decision-makers who determine public policy. Our objective is to restore science and common sense to personal and public health decisions, in order to foster a scientifically sound and sensible public health policy for the American people. ACSH is committed to improving communication and dialogue between the scientific/medical community and the public and the media, in an effort to ensure that the coverage of health issues is based on scientific facts – not hyperbole, emotion and ideology." (http://www.acsh.org/about/)

"The American Public Health Association is the oldest and most diverse organization of public health professionals in the world and has been working to improve public health since 1872. The Association aims to protect all Americans, their families and their communities from preventable, serious health threats and strives to assure community-based health promotion and disease prevention activities and preventive health services are universally accessible in the United States. APHA represents a broad array of health professionals and others who care about their own health and the health of their communities." (http://www.apha.org/about/)

"The mission of Americans for Safe Access is to ensure safe and legal access to cannabis (marijuana) for therapeutic uses and research." (http://americansforsafeaccess.org/)

"APIAHF influences policy, mobilizes communities, and strengthens programs and organizations to improve the health of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders." (http://www.apiahf.org/about-us)

"Consumers Union and Ralph Nader founded the Center for Auto Safety (CAS) in 1970 to provide consumers a voice for auto safety and quality in Washington and to help lemon owners fight back across the country." (http://www.autosafety.org/ --> About the Center...)

"The Center for Health, Environment & Justice (CHEJ) mentors a movement, empowering people to build healthy communities, and preventing harm to human health caused by exposure to environmental threats." (http://chej.org/about/mission/)

"The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is a consumer advocacy organization whose twin missions are to conduct innovative research and advocacy programs in health and nutrition, and to provide consumers with current, useful information about their health and well-being." (http://www.cspinet.org/about/mission.html)

"Compassion & Choices is the oldest, largest and most comprehensive choice-in-dying organization in the United States. We are a nonprofit organization supported by memberships and donations. Compassion & Choices was formed by the unification of Compassion in Dying and End-of-Life Choices (formerly the Hemlock Society)." (http://www.compassionandchoices.org/page.aspx?pid=277)

"The Council for Responsible Genetics fosters public debate about the social, ethical and environmental implications of genetic technologies." (http://www.councilforresponsiblegenetics.org/Help/About.aspx)

"Families USA is a national nonprofit, non-partisan organization dedicated to the achievement of high-quality, affordable health care for all Americans." (http://www.familiesusa.org/about/)

FRAC is "working to improve public policies to eradicate hunger and undernutrition in the United States." (http://www.frac.org/about/)

"The mission of Mothers Against Drunk Driving is to stop drunk driving, support the victims of this violent crime and prevent underage drinking.” (http://www.madd.org/about-us/mission/)

"NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. NAMI advocates for access to services, treatment, supports and research and is steadfast in its commitment to raising awareness and building a community of hope for all of those in need." (http://www.nami.org/template.cfm?section=About_NAMI)

"The mission of the National Coalition on Health Care is to support research and analysis, develop and promote policy solutions, build consensus, and engage the public in order to ensure that America has a high quality health system that is affordable, sustainable, and fair across both its public and private sectors."
(http://nchc.org/about-us/mission-history)

"National Patient Advocate Foundation is a national non-profit organization providing the patient voice in improving access to, and reimbursement for, high-quality healthcare through regulatory and legislative reform at the state and federal levels.." (http://www.npaf.org/about/mission-statement)

"The Patients Rights Council is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) educational and research organization It addresses euthanasia, assisted suicide and end-of-life issues from a public policy perspective."
(http://www.patientsrightscouncil.org/site/about-the-prc/)
Note: previously known as the International Task Force on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide.