Media platforms rushed to delete a video that featured seven doctors who claimed their front-line knowledge regarding the pandemic goes against the guidance of public health experts. The video was retweeted and reposted by several celebrities, including Donald Trump, his son, and other political friends who wished to amplify the video’s presence.
The doctors intended to sway the public that their personal experiences provided them a valuable perspective on the public health crisis and that their side was not being taken seriously.
The group of doctors called itself America’s Frontline Doctors and suggested there are benefits of hydroxychloroquine as a cure for COVID-19. They also denounced science that has proved it does not clinically benefit diagnosed patients and even poses increased risks.
“These are the doctors diagnosing, treating and helping patients beat COVID-19,” said Jenny Beth Martin – co-founder of Tea Party Patriots, a pro-Trump conservative group that helped organize the event.
It’s still vague on what “experiences” these doctors have with the pandemic despite its “frontline” name implying members may work in hospital emergency rooms or intensive care units that have seen numerous amounts of critically ill COVID-19 patients. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
USA Today has confirmed that most are physicians with active state medical licenses; however, their specialties and experiences indicate they were offering more of a personal opinion than research experience on infectious diseases.
Only one of the seven doctors is affiliated with a hospital that would treat a critically ill patient, while the others seem to work at an urgent care or other clinics. None claim to be infectious disease experts or a doctor that works in a hospital emergency or ICU unit, which is what America and the world needs right now.
Ashish Jha, Director of the Harvard Global Health Institute, likened the views that were expressed in the video to his personal opinions about foreign politics in an interview with USA Today on Wednesday. Jha acknowledged that the image of a group of doctors standing outside the Supreme Court in their white lab coats, and boasting an introduction from a U.S. congressman seemed very powerful as they spread a “hopeful” message regarding the growing pandemic. Over 17 million people viewed the video that circulated online before it was eventually taken down earlier this week; it proved as a very convincing package.
However, America’s top infectious disease specialist, Dr. Anthony Fauci, called the group “a bunch of people spouting something that isn’t true.”
However, Dr. Joe Ladapo, a UCLA physician who made an appearance in the video, begs to differ. In an email to USA Today, he said he became involved because he believes ” it’s critically important for us to have a discussion that includes different perspectives about our approach to COVID-19.” An idea Jha said is unscientific to believe a personal experience could outweigh that of science.
“Experiences are trumped by scientific evidence,” he said. And in the case of the arguments made in the video, Jha said the evidence doesn’t back up their experiences.
Among some allegations made during the video, one included that a cure for COVID-19 exists, which essentially suggests a global conspiracy to suppress an effective treatment to the coronavirus, he added.
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“It’s not science,” Jha concluded.
The group Tea Party Patriots hosted the event. Fortunately, their thoughtless tactic was quickly stopped.
Be Smart America.
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