The Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) has stated that doctors who spread “misinformation” or “disinformation” about the Covid-19 vaccines could be suspended or have their licenses taken away.
According to the FSMB, due “to a dramatic increase in the dissemination of COVID-19 vaccine misinformation and disinformation by physicians and other health care professionals on social media platforms, online and in the media, the FSMB, a national nonprofit representing medical boards that license and discipline allopathic and osteopathic physicians, released the following statement:
The FSMB has stated that they are aiming to remind doctors that they must be responsible as they have a platform and that misinformation and disinformation – especially within the content of the Covid-19 pandemic – can cause harm.
Humayun Chaudhry, DO., CEO of the FSMB, said: “I hope that physicians and other licensees get the message.”
It seems as though doctors are not allowed to do their own research, come to their own conclusions, and share this with others on social media or with their patients as they may face losing their jobs.
The FSMB CEO said that vaccine hesitancy and resistance across the country is a result of misinformation being spread by physicians.
Chaudhry said that he is worried about the stagnant vaccination rate and the Delta variant and is “really concerned” about future mutations and variants of the virus emerging, “to the point where we may have a situation in hand where the vaccine isn’t even effective.” The U.S. is “not there now,” he added, but the vaccines are a key piece in preventing that.
