WASHINGTON -- NASA welcomes a vote of support for its future space exploration plans from the nation's largest organization of doctors. The American Medical Association recently passed a resolution in support of human space travel, citing "potential future benefits to medicine and advances in patient care."

The resolution passed in a unanimous vote at the AMA's annual meeting of its House of Delegates, held in June in Chicago. The AMA also reaffirmed support for medical research on the space shuttle and International Space Station.

NASA's space exploration programs have played a role in key advancements in medical science, from diagnostics to telemedicine to a space shuttle- derived heart pump.

The new, interactive, online feature "NASA Anatomy" highlights the space program's contributions to medical science. For it and more information about NASA benefits, visit: