Covid contrarians repeating false information have not typically faced much in the ways of consequences. Anyone who makes claims of “cancel culture” or any kind of “silencing” of “opinions” by fringe covid contrarian doctors or anti-vaxxers is NOT telling the truth. Legal research has shown that doctors who have peddled in false covid claims have almost never been disciplined.
In Pennsylvania, and in Florida, zero physicians were ever penalized for misinforming patients or the public about covid.
CIDRAP – Medical boards almost never discipline doctors who peddle false COVID claims, legal researcher says – Mary Van Beusekom, MS, Nov 13, 2024 No New York physicians were disciplined for any misinformation offenses, and no Florida or Pennsylvania physicians were penalized for misinforming the public. “Even within the small number of actions involving misinformation, the data shows that boards are far more comfortable disciplining physicians for misconduct involving direct patient care than addressing erroneous public statements,” Saver said in a UNC news release. “Yet false public communications may cause wider harm.” “These findings suggest a serious disconnect between regulatory guidance and enforcement and call into question the suitability of licensure regulation for combatting physician-spread misinformation,” he noted in the study. “In today’s digital age, when a single physician spreading misinformation can influence thousands of people, our regulatory framework may need to evolve,” he added in the release.
One should never assume that something really out there must be true just because a doctor feels free to say it. And it’s not wrong to seek a second opinion.
And doctors really need to shut up about their little myth of cancel culture – especially ones with lots of money, huge platforms, and government influence.
Who What Why – The Loudest Voice: Who Is GOP COVID-19 Expert Jay Bhattacharya? Walker Bragman 03/29/23 For his unconventional views, Bhattacharya has been showered with media attention, particularly from right-wing media — but not exclusively. He has been given column space in a number of publications to make his case. This brand building has allowed the professor to amass hundreds of thousands of followers on social media and establish himself as a prominent dissenting voice in the national discourse around public health measures. Bhattacharya has made at least 37 appearances on Fox News since the pandemic began, which other right-wing outfits like Breitbart and the New York Post have amplified. But he has appeared on CNN. He has also been quoted in many outlets from The Wall Street Journal to The New Yorker, The Washington Post to The Daily Caller. Beyond giving quotes to reporters, Bhattacharya has gotten to make his case himself, writing for a number of publications including the WSJ, The Hill, The Daily Mail, and Newsweek.