The doctor does have a First Amendment right to ask about guns; however, this issue has more to do with professional standards that govern his speech. As a healthcare professional bound by those standards, he cannot ask you about non-medical issues using his professional status in order to justify his own political beliefs.
There is no medical reason to discuss how parents choose to defend their families just because there is a small chance a child could be accidentally shot. Responsible parents would be aware of that obvious danger and take steps to avoid that situation, just like they would for many other apparent hazards in their home.
“The doctor does have a First Amendment right to ask about guns; however, this issue has more to do with professional standards that govern his speech. As a healthcare professional bound by those standards, he cannot ask you about non-medical issues using his professional status in order to justify his own political beliefs.
There is no medical reason to discuss how parents choose to defend their families just because there is a small chance a child could be accidentally shot. Responsible parents would be aware of that obvious danger and take steps to avoid that situation, just like they would for many other apparent hazards in their home.”
Then this is a matter for the profession and the standards setting and licensure organizations, who are mostly self-regulating. The state legislature has no business here.
I don’t think that dangerous conditions in the life of the patient are “non-medical”. I wonder what other government imposed gag owners you would support. Should be prevent a doctor from asking whether the parents use a car seat, or whether the home has outlet plugs, or whether adult medications are stored out of reach of the child? If a peds patient presents as obese, would be ok with you if the doc asked about family dining and shopping habits?