Medical Institute for Sexual Health

The Medical Institute for Sexual Health is a 501(c)3 nonprofit educational organization based in Austin, TX which "...was founded to confront the global epidemics of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs)." The institute supports sexual education, and has been funded through earmark channels, unusual for public-health programs. According to Amanda Schaffer, "Unlike some conservative groups, the Medical Institute strives for medical respectability, focusing on public-health arguments in favor of virginity rather than moral virtues."

Its revenue in 2006 was $2.4M.

Rebranding
The Medical Institute for Sexual Health renamed itself "The Medical Institute," as part of an attempt "to legitimize its message by rebranding itself as science-based," according to Jessica Valenti. The group "touts itself as being founded to 'confront the global epidemics of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.... We identify and evaluate scientific information on sexual health and promote healthy sexual decisions and behaviors by communicating credible scientific information,'" Valenti wrote. "Sounds innocuous, but the Medical Institute is a hard-core abstinence-only organization. Its advisory board reads like a Who's Who of purity pushers," including W. David Hager, "a former Bush appointee to the FDA's advisory board on reproductive health, who suggested prayer as a cure for PMS and whose ex-wife alleged in The Nation that he had repeatedly raped her."

Officers

 * Gary L. Rose, M.D., CEO
 * Joe S. McIlhaney, Jr., M.D., Founder/Chairman
 * Arthur H. Coleman, Senior Vice President/General Counsel
 * J. Thomas Fitch, M.D. (pediatrician) Chairman of the Board

Contact
Medical Institute for Sexual Health P.O. Box 162306 Austin, TX 78716-2306 Phone: (512)328-6268 Website: http://www.medinstitute.org/

Related SourceWatch articles

 * Independent Women's Forum
 * Concerned Women for America