FAIR in Medicine Charts a New Direction and Broadens its Mission

A message from FAIR's Executive Director

Over the past several years, actions taken by public health officials and leaders of medical organizations have fueled an erosion of trust in the medical profession.

The politicized management of the COVID-19 pandemic stripped doctors and patients of medical choice regarding the treatment of illness, and some public health agencies prioritized race over medical necessity in dispensing vaccines and monoclonal antibodies. Doctors and medical organizations made unscientific recommendations for prevention of COVID-19, misrepresenting the utility of masking, the benefits of natural immunity, and the efficacy of novel vaccines. Similarly, despite the absence of rigorous scientific investigation and dismissal of available data, medical professionals projected an illusory scientific consensus by insisting that the science was settled regarding the need to administer “gender-affirming care” to minors experiencing gender distress.

As a result of these politicized health care practices, many patients find themselves uncertain and confused, with no place to turn for reliable medical information and guidance. They question whether practitioners and other experts still prioritize evidence-based care and medical ethics. 

Social and political activism in the form of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives have further eroded public trust in the medical establishment. Although DEI has been gaining influence in many institutions for the past 20 years, the death of George Floyd in 2020, the Black Lives Matter movement, and social media were catalysts that dramatically expanded the presence and scope of DEI departments and policies across the globe. 

Many tenets of DEI are rooted in polarizing political ideology that divides human beings into identity groups based on immutable and mutable characteristics. Medical organizations and public health institutions encourage medical schools and training programs to emphasize activism and political ideology in the form of controversial social and political topics such as climate change, abortion rights, gun control, gender, intersectionality, and racial inequities. Doctors, in turn, administer identity-based treatment plans that are not only antithetical to our shared values of personal freedom, individual autonomy, and equality, but also deny patients the critical, individual assessment necessary to provide quality healthcare.

Ironically, activist curricula and practices have failed to achieve measurable positive outcomes. Graduates are less prepared for post-graduate training, and clinicians are ill-equipped to serve the needs of patients as unique human beings. Healthcare disparities persist at many levels of our society; there is an epidemic of depression, especially among adolescent girls; and advances in the prevention of disease or treatments that extend life expectancy have diminished.

From its inception, FAIR in Medicine has committed to challenging and removing destructive practices that have contaminated the medical profession and advocating for changes that advance ethical, evidence-based research standards and medical care. Our network of doctors and Fellows have focused on providing quality continuing education to medical professionals that promotes integrity in research and patient care and supports pro-human, evidence-based medicine.

It is increasingly clear, however, that the mounting failures in the practice of medicine are not occurring in isolation; they have a common thread. The corporatization of healthcare, growing influence of pharmaceutical companies on public agencies, medical schools, and hospitals, and lack of transparency in clinical trials have made the medical establishment vulnerable to special interests and stifled debate and inquiry around issues related to patient informed consent.

From SSRIs and statins to vaccines and puberty blockers, patients are often prescribed medications without proper knowledge or awareness of efficacy, long term side effects, or outcomes. Moreover, prescriptions and treatments are often prioritized over appropriate mental health treatment.

There is a growing trend among psychiatrists to pathologize a variety of mental health challenges that people in general, and especially young people, face today. Adolescents struggling with the normal mood and mental health challenges that accompany puberty—or in response to the very real struggles at school, home and with peers—are frequently diagnosed with clinical depression, anxiety, or ADHD. Providers prematurely treat patients with psychiatric drugs, puberty blockers and/or hormones (with known and unknown side effects) before exploring less extreme treatments, better psycho-social assessments, counseling, social supports, and watchful waiting. As a result, the quality of medicine has decreased and safety concerns and issues have increased, causing unnecessary patient suffering and negative health outcomes. 

To properly address these issues and to help clinicians provide personalized care to all patients in a manner consistent with their individual needs, FAIR in Medicine will continue to underscore and honor ethical guidelines in research and patient care.  We will continue to support and defend medical professionals who seek to practice ethical, evidence-based medicine. And we will continue to work with clinicians, our Fellows, and our network of educators, doctors, and attorneys to help meet these goals. 

But FAIR in Medicine must also broaden its scope.  

In the coming months, we will welcome a mental health professional to our team who shares our concerns about the excessive use of psychotropic drugs; the disturbing trend of young people taking multiple psychotropic drugs; and the labeling of mental health and behavioral challenges as clinical conditions that require pharmaceuticals in lieu of exploring alternative treatments and interventions. 

FAIR in Medicine will continue to provide high quality, ethics-based education that highlights the harms of focusing on political activist-driven policies and curricula, but we will also expand our efforts to include medical students, medical student organizations, nurses, technicians, and current trainees.

FAIR in Medicine will continue to engage and inform our community through virtual meetings, FAIR’s Substack, and other platforms, but will also broaden the range of content to include topics and issues that underscore the root causes of the medical establishment’s failure to deliver quality health care to patients. As part of this effort, we will raise awareness of the threats to the practice of ethical and evidence based medicine, with an emphasis on informed consent, and work toward realistic and effective solutions. 

FAIR in Medicine will offer a series of written and interactive presentations, new collaborations, and webinars that address a variety of topics that highlight the need for informed consent in medicine, including:

·       The prescription drug addiction crisis: SSRIs & Benzodiazepines 

·       The medicalization of mental health: Adderall & more

·       How do clinical trials really work?

·       When should you and your family get vaccinated?

·       What should you look for when selecting a doctor?

·       How to advocate for your needs as a patient, parent, or caregiver

This week, FAIR in Medicine will begin its new chapter with a timely discussion of Dr. Hilary Cass’ independent review of gender identity services for children and young people:

I am extremely excited for FAIR in Medicine to embark on this new chapter, and I look forward to exploring these issues with you. I hope you will find this work useful and beneficial as we work to restore patient trust by returning reason, sanity, and the goal of optimal health for all to the practice of medicine. 

Warmly,

Monica Harris
Executive Director, Foundation Against Intolerance & Racism