CLEAR

Mississippi Board of Medical Licensure issues policy on COVID-19 misinformation

The Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure has adopted a policy to suspend or revoke the license of physicians who spread misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine. The policy notes doctors' "ethical and professional responsibility" to share factual and scientifically grounded information with patients and states that "spreading inaccurate COVID-19 vaccine information contradicts that responsibility." The policy specifically includes reference to posting on social media.

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CLEAR is hosting a webinar on October 19 on Disciplining Practitioners for Off-Duty and/or COVID Misinformation Conduct.  Register now 

UK: calls for single regulator of insolvency professionals

A new report form the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Fair Business Banking has found "evidence of intimidation, deception, dishonesty and even misappropriation of assets, all involving IPs supposedly performing their court-appointed functions." The APPG proposes establishment of a single regulator with an ombudsman to replace the existing recognized professional bodies. They also call for the Insolvency Code of Ethics to become statutory.

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Complaints brought against practitioners practicing conversion therapy

Twenty states currently ban conversion therapy, therapy aimed at changing people's sexual orientation or gender identity, on minors; and five states have partial bans. The American Psychological Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Medical Association have spoken out against the practice. In some states without bans, former patients are filing complaints with the licensing boards against practitioners, citing "serious and lasting harm" and that the practice "violates various professional and ethical rules." A complaint to the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council was denied because it was not considered "timely," but a motion has been filed for a rehearing.

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FSMB statement on COVID-19 vaccine misinformation and discipline

The Federation of State Medical Boards has issued a statement that "physicians who generate and spread COVID-19 vaccine misinformation or disinformation are risking disciplinary action by state medical boards, including the suspension or revocation of their medical license." They state that licensed physicians "have an ethical and professional responsibility to practice medicine in the best interests of their patients and must share information that is factual, scientifically grounded and consensus-driven for the betterment of public health. Spreading inaccurate COVID-19 vaccine information contradicts that responsibility, threatens to further erode public trust in the medical profession and puts all patients at risk.”

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Indiana: federal court strikes down abortion law restrictions

A federal judge in Indiana has struck down a ban on using telemedicine for abortion care. Abortion providers will now be able to offer medication abortion via telemedicine and informed consent documentation via virtual care. Patients will no longer have to have an in-person physical exam before a medication abortion, and advanced practice clinicians such as physician assistants and nurse practitioners will have authority to dispense abortion-inducing drugs. Also, doctors will no longer be required to provide patients with certain pre-care information that the judge found to be without scientific evidence and misleading.

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Arkansas judge blocks law banning gender-affirming healthcare

A U.S. District judge issued an injunction to temporarily block a law that would ban healthcare practitioners from providing gender-affirming healthcare for transgender youth. The law, passed in April despite the governor's veto, had been set to take effect next week. Supporters of the law claim it protects minors who are too young to make decisions about gender transition medical care. The ACLU filled a challenge to the law on behalf of four families and two medical doctors, saying that banning therapy and treatments such as puberty blockers and hormone replacements would have detrimental effects on the mental, emotional and physical health of transgender people. Concerns have also been raised that the law's limit on scope of practice will discourage medical professionals from working in Arkansas.

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Utah: practitioner disciplined for fraudulent vaccine cards

A pharmacist in Utah has been disciplined for providing completed COVID vaccination cards to patients without actually administering the vaccine. In this specific incident, the pharmacist allowed a pharmacy technician to counsel a "reluctant" patient about unconfirmed adverse reactions to the vaccine without correcting the misinformation and then gave the vaccine card to the unvaccinated patient. The disciplinary order stated that the pharmacist's actions posed a risk to the patient and others by falsely representing the patient as vaccinated.

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Florida judge says contractor advertising law violates free speech

A Florida judge has enjoined enforcement of a section of a new law that would have prohibited "written or electronic communication that encourages, induces, or instructs someone to contact a contractor or public adjuster for the purpose of filing an insurance claim for roof damage." The judge found that this section of the law violates the First Amendment free speech rights of contractors, even though the Department of Business and Professional Regulation argued that the restriction was intended to combat consumer exploitation and fraud.

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UK: COVID-denying nurse removed from register

The UK's Nursing and Midwifery Council has removed a nurse from the NMC register after the fitness-to-practice panel concluded that her behavior as an anti-vaccination campaigner and COVID-denier fell "seriously short of the standards expected of a registered nurse and amounted to misconduct." The nurse's participation in protests and derogatory comments about other health professionals were outside of the nursing environment, but the panel held that the nurse had used her professional status to promote hew views, placing the public at "serious risk of harm" and undermining the reputation of the nursing profession.

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UK: new rules for solicitors regarding personal injury claims

The newly-in-force Civil Liberty Act now requires a medical report in order to settle road accident whiplash claims. The Solicitors Regulation Authority will be updating its regulatory and disciplinary procedure rules and will discipline any solicitor who fails to comply with the Act. Remote examinations by video will meet the requirement until further notice.

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