U.K. Doctors Could Soon Face Action over "Misleading" Social Media Posts

[Debater Slayer]

Doctors who post medical misinformation may soon be penalized by new U.K. guidelines for online content:

Doctors who share “misleading” information on social media could face regulatory action, according to planned new guidelines.

Posts made on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok are among those that could be scrutinised by the General Medical Council (GMC) if a doctor is reported.

The council is to update its Good Medical Practice guide, seen by some as a modern-day Hippocratic Oath, for the first time in almost a decade.

The latest draft says that doctors must “be honest and trustworthy, make clear the limits of their knowledge [and] make reasonable checks to make sure any information given is not misleading”.

Doctors could soon face action over ‘misleading’ social media posts

It looks like not even Elon Musk's billions will be able to save medical misinformation from being scrutinized by European governments and medical authorities.

I approve. This is a great step to counter online misinformation from irresponsible doctors who could put lives at risk, which is basically just a very public form of malpractice. I think the COVID-19 pandemic has shown the importance of such measures.

 

[stvdv]

Doctors who post medical misinformation may soon be penalized by new U.K. guidelines for online content:

I am not surprised

Doctors could soon face action over ‘misleading’ social media posts

It looks like not even Elon Musk's billions will be able to save medical misinformation from being scrutinized by European governments and medical authorities

I don't see anyone being able to escape this

I approve. This is a great step to counter online misinformation from irresponsible doctors who could put lives at risk, which is basically just a very public form of malpractice. I think the COVID-19 pandemic has shown the importance of such measures

I do not approve, and just leave it at that

 

[Altfish]

Doctors who post medical misinformation may soon be penalized by new U.K. guidelines for online content:



Doctors could soon face action over ‘misleading’ social media posts

It looks like not even Elon Musk's billions will be able to save medical misinformation from being scrutinized by European governments and medical authorities.

I approve. This is a great step to counter online misinformation from irresponsible doctors who could put lives at risk, which is basically just a very public form of malpractice. I think the COVID-19 pandemic has shown the importance of such measures.

The problem will be that they don't go on line as Dr John Smith - the idiots go on blogs, etc. as Dr. Truth

 

[Secret Chief]

The problem will be that they don't go on line as Dr John Smith - the idiots go on blogs, etc. as Dr. Truth

You mean I can't make my penis longer by applying smooth peanut butter?

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

Doctors have always been held responsible for what they write say and do.
This is simply bringing it up to date, in a more specific way.

It is not the law that is changing, so much as the rules of their own governing body.

Various laws already covers these aspects. In the same way that they apply to everyone.

 

[Altfish]

You mean I can't make my penis longer by applying smooth peanut butter?

I do

 

[Wildswanderer]

Doctors who post medical misinformation may soon be penalized by new U.K. guidelines for online content:



Doctors could soon face action over ‘misleading’ social media posts

It looks like not even Elon Musk's billions will be able to save medical misinformation from being scrutinized by European governments and medical authorities.

I approve. This is a great step to counter online misinformation from irresponsible doctors who could put lives at risk, which is basically just a very public form of malpractice. I think the COVID-19 pandemic has shown the importance of such measures.

Wow... arrested for giving your opinion online. Can you say " Big Brother"?

 

[Guitar's Cry]

Wow... arrested for giving your opinion online. Can you say " Big Brother"?

From the article:

"The latest draft says that doctors must 'be honest and trustworthy, make clear the limits of their knowledge [and] make reasonable checks to make sure any information given is not misleading'."

Seems more like weeding out snakeoil salesmen and holding experts responsible for their expertise.

 

[RestlessSoul]

You mean I can't make my penis longer by applying smooth peanut butter?

Keep trying, let us know how you get on

 

[Wildswanderer]

From the article:

"The latest draft says that doctors must 'be honest and trustworthy, make clear the limits of their knowledge [and] make reasonable checks to make sure any information given is not misleading'."

Seems more like weeding out snakeoil salesmen and holding experts responsible for their expertise.

Who decides what information is correct? What could possibly go wrong? Surely there's no chance for abuse of power to take place with this idiotic tyrannical law.

 

[Guitar's Cry]

Who decides what information is correct? What could possibly go wrong? Surely there's no chance for abuse of power to take place with this idiotic tyrannical law.

I don't see that in the wording:

"The latest draft says that doctors must 'be honest and trustworthy, make clear the limits of their knowledge [and] make reasonable checks to make sure any information given is not misleading'."

 

[exchemist]

Wow... arrested for giving your opinion online. Can you say " Big Brother"?

Nope. Nobody is "arrested". This is not a criminal law.

It is part of the updated code of conduct, issued by the professional body that regulates doctors. The sanction for an infringement would be a formal reprimand, or a suspension or ultimately being struck off the register of doctors, which would mean not being able to practise as a doctor any longer.

And, as someone else has already pointed out, it is nothing new. The requirement not to mislead or make irresponsible statements, as a doctor, already exists. This amendment to the code of conduct merely extends it explicitly into the world of social media.

So we can all* stop hyperventilating.

*apart from the usual idiots, of course.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Doctors who post medical misinformation may soon be penalized by new U.K. guidelines for online content:



Doctors could soon face action over ‘misleading’ social media posts

It looks like not even Elon Musk's billions will be able to save medical misinformation from being scrutinized by European governments and medical authorities.

I approve. This is a great step to counter online misinformation from irresponsible doctors who could put lives at risk, which is basically just a very public form of malpractice. I think the COVID-19 pandemic has shown the importance of such measures.

Doctors as in qualified, licensed, and knowledgeable.

Looks like the covid nazis are Jack booting like usual.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Wow... arrested for giving your opinion online. Can you say " Big Brother"?

Authoritarianism has been, and still is quite a fad with these ******* people.

 

[Secret Chief]

Keep trying, let us know how you get on

The doctor did say if it didn't work try the crunchy.

 

[Guitar's Cry]

Doctors as in qualified, licensed, and knowledgeable.

Meaning, they should have no trouble with:

"...be honest and trustworthy, make clear the limits of their knowledge [and] make reasonable checks to make sure any information given is not misleading."

 

[Subduction Zone]

Who decides what information is correct? What could possibly go wrong? Surely there's no chance for abuse of power to take place with this idiotic tyrannical law.

There are reliable methods for doing this. When one is not following those reliable methods one has a duty to say so to others.

I know it is much more comfortable to believe lies when someone that supposedly has authority says them. The UK is only making sure that doctors do not abuse their authority.

 

[Subduction Zone]

Meaning, they should have no trouble with:

"...be honest and trustworthy, make clear the limits of their knowledge [and] make reasonable checks to make sure any information given is not misleading."

Nah, I would rather hear that dancing nude in the moonlight in midwinter cures the Corona virus.

 

[Twilight Hue]

There are reliable methods for doing this. When one is not following those reliable methods one has a duty to say so to others.

I know it is much more comfortable to believe lies when someone that supposedly has authority says them. The UK is only making sure that doctors do not abuse their authority.

And just who is it that makes those determinations?

 

[Subduction Zone]

And just who is it that makes those determinations?

People that are willing to put their ideas to the test. I have not seen a science denier that is not a coward when it comes to their beliefs.