They decried COVID-19 as a hoax, promoted unproven treatments, and made false claims about the vaccine, including that the shots magnetize the human body.
The purveyors of this disinformation are not obscure figures operating in the dark corners of the Internet. This is a small, vocal group of physicians practicing medicine in communities across the country.
Today, the medical boards are more and more in a hurry to act. Public health organizations have called on them to take a tougher line in disciplining doctors, including potentially revoking their licenses. The surge comes as the pandemic enters a second winter and deaths in the United States exceed 800,000.
At least a dozen regulators in states such as Oregon, Rhode Island, Maine and Texas have recently issued sanctions against some doctors, but many of the more prolific proponents of COVID-19 lies have always spotless medical licenses.
Precruiting doctors is no easy task for boards that were created long before social media. Their investigations tend to proceed slowly, taking months or even years, and many of their proceedings are private. “Just because they’re doctors, it’s no different than if someone called you up pretending to be the IRS trying to steal your money,” said Brian Castrucci, President and CEO of the Foundation. Beaumont. “It’s a scam, and we protect Americans from scams.” Castrucci’s public health organization and No License For Disinformation, which fights against fake medical information, released...
The Management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals has noted with concern the circulation of unfounded and misleading claims suggesting that its petroleum products are exported to Lom...