Scientific Correctness and the Death of Truth
The Federation of State Medical Boards’ Board of Directors recently released a statement that physicians spreading medical misinformation, particularly about COVID, are risking disciplinary action by state medical boards. I’m not surprised. I am troubled by the open threat.
Karl Popper, one of the 20th century’s most influential philosophers of science, considered that “the growth of knowledge depends entirely on disagreement.” Often, it is scientific controversy that moves knowledge forward. Gagging credible experts, including world-class specialists when their findings or thoughts do not fit the “scientifically correct” narratives, obstructs vital understandings, and slows down crisis management.
What is most insidious is the corrosion of trust between critical institutions and “the commoners” This latter term is inclusive of both front-line providers and their patients. Trust, knowledge, respect, and truth are four essential elements of a doctor-patient relationship. Today, scientific correctness tramples them all, turning these core ethical principles of medicine into a nightmare for the bullied intimidated physician and the patient who is supposed to make informed decisions based on approved crumbs of information from the political table.
Our State Boards are entrusted to protect the public from charlatans and incompetent providers. This is not the “misinformation” spoken to. When legends such as Dr. John Ioannidis of Stanford or Doctors Martin Kulldorff of Harvard, Sundetra Guptra of Oxford, Jay Bhattacharya, Stanford, Cody Meissner, Tufts, David Katz, Yale, Joseph Lapado, UCLA, Harvey Risch, Yale and thousands of other dissenting credible voices are suppressed, the only thing protected is the approved message.
To these important institutions, I offer this advice. When the citizens decline your well-intended advice, it’s not because they’re stupid. It is because you have a credibility problem.