Last week, a new bill, AB2098, designed to counter the spread of COVID falsehoods spread by medical professionals, passed both houses of the California Legislature. The bill follows last year’s warning by the Federation of State Medical Boards that doctors who share misinformation risk disciplinary action by medical boards. But so far, not a single state has codified that policy. If signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom, AB2098 would make California the first state to take legal action against medical professionals who spread COVID lies. These medical professionals could face disciplinary action for unprofessional conduct by the Medical Board of California or the Osteopathic Medical Board of California. As a result, their state medical licenses could be suspended or revoked.(the bias in this one is strong. Clearly she is a vaxxer...a distinct irony, if not utter hypocrisy)The bill defines unprofessional conduct as spreading false information about COVID and its treatments. It defines misinformation as “false information that is contradicted by contemporary scientific consensus contrary to the standard of care.” Some critics have argued that since standards of care can shift during emergencies, this definition jeopardizes the foundation of the scientific process, which includes the intellectual freedom to push back against a consensus view.
Having witnessed firsthand the sickness and angst caused by doctors who spread lies, however, I believe this bill is an important first step in holding accountable the people we trust with our lives.
Yes, there is a chance that this bill could backfire. Suspending or revoking licenses may not deter some medical professionals; it might fan the flames of fame and falsehoods. Some doctors have flipped negative publicity to boost social media followings, decry a deep state that suppresses free speech, aligned themselves with high-ranking public officials who also spread anti-science lies and become the go-to doctors for those seeking illegitimate vaccination exemptions.
So, in consideration that my BIL - an AMA/board certified/licensed orthopedic surgeon - suffered a near-fatal 100% blockage of his LAD this weekend in what his doctors have classified as a 'massive' heart attack, I wonder:
Will all the doctors who peddled the lipid hypothesis and the fat is bad for you/cholesterol causes CVD be held to account for THEIR lies and misinformation over the past half century???
(not holding my breath)
That excerpt includes the term “scientific consensus” which is a giveaway to what is really going on.
Current status...
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB2098
‘It defines misinformation as “false information that is contradicted by contemporary scientific consensus contrary to the standard of care.”’
And who defines “contemporary scientific consensus”? There exists no body in the country that makes such definitions. None in the world that I am aware of. That’s just not how the scientific process works.
Law is begging to be struck down as too vague to enforce.