Protecting the Legitimacy of Medical Expertise

This article examines the growing threats to the authority and regulatory power of medical licensing and certifying boards, especially in the wake of Covid-19 misinformation. The authors argue that state-level legislative efforts such as shielding physicians who prescribe ivermectin for Covid or limiting disciplinary powers of boards undermine public trust in medical expertise. The editorial explores how challenges to regulatory authority extend to federal agencies and judicial decisions that erode reliance on expert judgment. The authors caution that without a shared commitment to fact-based standards and empirical evidence, the public’s ability to differentiate science-based care from harmful misinformation is compromised. They advocate for robust defense of licensing board authority to ensure doctors provide verifiable, evidence-grounded medical advice.

This article examines the growing threats to the authority and regulatory power of medical licensing and certifying boards, especially in the wake of Covid-19 misinformation. The authors argue that state-level legislative efforts such as shielding physicians who prescribe ivermectin for Covid or limiting disciplinary powers of boards undermine public trust in medical expertise. The editorial explores how challenges to regulatory authority extend to federal agencies and judicial decisions that erode reliance on expert judgment. The authors caution that without a shared commitment to fact-based standards and empirical evidence, the public’s ability to differentiate science-based care from harmful misinformation is compromised. They advocate for robust defense of licensing board authority to ensure doctors provide verifiable, evidence-grounded medical advice.