The state of California is moving forward with legislation that would punish physicians for false information that could endanger the public.
Doctor, doctor, give me the news. And it better be true, or else you could get in trouble by the law. On Monday, California’s Legislature approved a bill that would punish doctors, such as having their licenses removed if they are caught spreading lies about the COVID-19 disease or vaccinations related to it.
The law comes as an attempt by the state to retaliate against the misinformation being shared about COVID-19, following thousands of deaths and overwhelming hospitalizations. If a doctor is discovered to be spreading false info, it would be deemed “unprofessional conduct” and could lead to the doctor having their license to practice revoked, Yahoo! News reports.
“In order for a patient to give informed consent, they have to be well informed,” said state Sen. Richard Pan, D-Sacramento, and co-author of the bill. He added that the legislation would attack “the most egregious cases” of a doctor misleading their patients.
