Reid was one of four Bomber officials charged on Tuesday with bringing the game into disrepute for his alleged role in the controversial supplements program conducted at the club in 2011 and 2012.
Also charged was senior coach James Hird, assistant coach Mark Thompson and football manager Danny Corcoran.
Seward said the Association would provide personal support to Reid and was happy to provide character support during the hearing that Essendon will receive from the AFL Commission on Monday, August 26.
"It's very disappointing that he has been caught up in this affair. I think it is important that we recognise he is the AFL's longest serving club doctor and is highly regarded by his colleagues and by the industry as a whole," Seward told AFL.com.au.
"He has always had a great concern for player welfare and player well-being and he's got a long history of providing wonderful care to his players and their families."
Although admitting that Tuesday's decision to lay charges against Reid had not come as a surprise after recent media commentary, Seward said it was not something he imagined possible a month ago.
Reid has not spoken publicly about the period in question since Essendon asked ASADA and the AFL to launch an investigation into the club in February.
Seward was careful to point out that he did not have all the details of the case.
"I am not privy to the specifics of what he might have been cited for so I can't comment on the case itself," he said.
He said Reid's experience resonated among the medical community but it remained important that a process was followed.
"Any of these things is a disincentive for people to go into [being an AFL doctor] but that is not a powerful enough reason to change the processes," Seward said.
Finding doctors to work in AFL clubs is becoming increasingly difficult with the AFL Medical Officers Association concerned the industry may struggle to replace its current crop of doctors.
It recently announced it would award three fellowships to people who have an interest in working in football medicine as one strategy to overcome the shortage.
