Medical Board Discipline of Physicians for Spreading Medical Misinformation.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

False medical information disseminated dangerously during the COVID-19 pandemic, with certain physicians playing a surprisingly prominent role. Medical boards engendered widespread criticism for not imposing forceful sanctions, but considerable uncertainty remains about how the professional licensure system regulates physician-spread misinformation.

Objective

To compare the level of professional discipline of physicians for spreading medical misinformation relative to discipline for other offenses.

Design, setting, and participants

This cross-sectional study analyzed and coded publicly reported medical board disciplinary actions in the 5 most populous US states. The analysis included data from January 1, 2020, through May 30, 2023, for California, Florida,

SUBMITTER: Saver RS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11558475 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature