5 ms·

If someone who calls themselves a doctor or a lawyer goes on TV and gives medical or legal advice, that can cause harm and sets a bad precedent.

wallace_f 8y ago
Even worse, people who never mention they're doctors can cause harm by saying vaccinations cause autism. It doesn't mean it should be illegal. Due process can cause some predators to roam free, or cost taxpayers and victims expense to the benefit of evil people. This argument that something should be illegal because it can cause harm is really shallow.
- darpa_escapee 8y ago
  I guess I just don't see the harm in requiring someone to say "I am not a doctor, but..." if they want to give medical advice while giving themselves the title of Dr. without having earned it. However, I do see the harm in someone pretending to be a doctor and giving medical advice that can hurt or kill someone.
  - wallace_f 8y ago
    People should be held liable for intentionally stating non-truths with respect to one's own, or another's character: ie falsely claiming to have a certain medical license. Howver, I don't see how you can come to the conclusion that ordinary people should not be able to tell their children, friends, parents, or anyone, medical advice. If so, where does it end? Can you tell your child to take medication? Which medications? Can you help victims of accidents? Give CPR? Can you tell your Father not to get that particular medical treatment? Can you tell someone to not trust a particular doctor? What you're suggesting sounds like a litigious nightmare of egg shells through life. On principle, should we not err towards advocating for granting power to the people instead of centralized, corporate and government authority structures? Or do you just not believe in that?
    - darpa_escapee 8y ago
      > Howver, I don't see how you can come to the conclusion that ordinary people should not be able to tell their children, friends, parents, or anyone, medical advice. Please do not strawman my position. The discussion was about people purposely portraying themselves as doctors and then dispensing medical advice. I have no problem with someone giving medical advice. I do have a problem with someone pretending to be a doctor while giving medical advice.
      - wallace_f 8y ago
        Ok sorry, I misunderstood what you said.
      - kd5bjo 8y ago
        I get mistaken for somebody with authority all the time. What happens when a lay member of the public offers medical advice, and the recipient mistakes them for a doctor despite having made no claims to that title?
        darpa_escapee 8y ago
        Given that we are talking about people who purposely portray themselves as doctors, I'm not sure how this is relevant.
gambiting 8y ago
Sure. Still shouldn't be illegal. There's plenty of TV stations that make a living giving bad, wrong or plainly malicious advice(can think of quite a few) and it's not illegal.
- pbhjpbhj 8y ago
  But one way to quickly assess advice is by the person's credentials who is delivering it -- a doctor or lawyer telling you something about medicine/law warrants some degree of trust, but one may assume when they speak on other subjects that they've taken a more rigorous approach than your average person. If your TV had Dr Gambiting giving medical advice is carries more credence.
loeg 8y ago
E.g., "Dr" Oz. Although I suspect most doctors are less likely to do that than folks who do not hold a medical degree.
- phonon 8y ago
  Dr. Oz is very much a medical doctor. Oz has been a professor at the Department of Surgery at Columbia University since 2001. He directs the Cardiovascular Institute and Complementary Medicine Program at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. His research interests include heart valve replacement surgery, minimally invasive cardiac surgery, and health care policy. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mehmet_Oz https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mehmet_Oz
  - loeg 8y ago
    Yes, that's my point — you don't need to not have an M.D. to spout completely false medical claims on television. I think he's a quack and his license should be revoked.
gaius 8y ago
Dr Dre advocates marijuana usage...

wallace_f 8y ago

Even worse, people who never mention they're doctors can cause harm by saying vaccinations cause autism. It doesn't mean it should be illegal. Due process can cause some predators to roam free, or cost taxpayers and victims expense to the benefit of evil people. This argument that something should be illegal because it can cause harm is really shallow.

darpa_escapee 8y ago
I guess I just don't see the harm in requiring someone to say "I am not a doctor, but..." if they want to give medical advice while giving themselves the title of Dr. without having earned it. However, I do see the harm in someone pretending to be a doctor and giving medical advice that can hurt or kill someone.
- wallace_f 8y ago
  People should be held liable for intentionally stating non-truths with respect to one's own, or another's character: ie falsely claiming to have a certain medical license. Howver, I don't see how you can come to the conclusion that ordinary people should not be able to tell their children, friends, parents, or anyone, medical advice. If so, where does it end? Can you tell your child to take medication? Which medications? Can you help victims of accidents? Give CPR? Can you tell your Father not to get that particular medical treatment? Can you tell someone to not trust a particular doctor? What you're suggesting sounds like a litigious nightmare of egg shells through life. On principle, should we not err towards advocating for granting power to the people instead of centralized, corporate and government authority structures? Or do you just not believe in that?
  - darpa_escapee 8y ago
    > Howver, I don't see how you can come to the conclusion that ordinary people should not be able to tell their children, friends, parents, or anyone, medical advice. Please do not strawman my position. The discussion was about people purposely portraying themselves as doctors and then dispensing medical advice. I have no problem with someone giving medical advice. I do have a problem with someone pretending to be a doctor while giving medical advice.
    - wallace_f 8y ago
      Ok sorry, I misunderstood what you said.
    - kd5bjo 8y ago
      I get mistaken for somebody with authority all the time. What happens when a lay member of the public offers medical advice, and the recipient mistakes them for a doctor despite having made no claims to that title?
      - darpa_escapee 8y ago
        Given that we are talking about people who purposely portray themselves as doctors, I'm not sure how this is relevant.

gambiting 8y ago

Sure. Still shouldn't be illegal. There's plenty of TV stations that make a living giving bad, wrong or plainly malicious advice(can think of quite a few) and it's not illegal.

pbhjpbhj 8y ago
But one way to quickly assess advice is by the person's credentials who is delivering it -- a doctor or lawyer telling you something about medicine/law warrants some degree of trust, but one may assume when they speak on other subjects that they've taken a more rigorous approach than your average person. If your TV had Dr Gambiting giving medical advice is carries more credence.

loeg 8y ago

E.g., "Dr" Oz. Although I suspect most doctors are less likely to do that than folks who do not hold a medical degree.

phonon 8y ago
Dr. Oz is very much a medical doctor. Oz has been a professor at the Department of Surgery at Columbia University since 2001. He directs the Cardiovascular Institute and Complementary Medicine Program at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. His research interests include heart valve replacement surgery, minimally invasive cardiac surgery, and health care policy. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mehmet_Oz https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mehmet_Oz
- loeg 8y ago
  Yes, that's my point — you don't need to not have an M.D. to spout completely false medical claims on television. I think he's a quack and his license should be revoked.

gaius 8y ago

Dr Dre advocates marijuana usage...