Let me introduce you to Dr. Meryl J. Nass, an internist practicing in Ellsworth, Maine. In my opinion, her story is so frightening that I wanted to share it.
By the way, some of you may not agree with my final conclusions. That’s just fine. The strength of liberty lies precisely in diversity of opinion, followed by discussion, compromise and consensus-building–not in autocratic uniformity enforced by unlimited centralized power.
Dr. Nass recently had her medical license suspended after the Maine Board of Licensure in Medicine investigated complaints against her. Moreover, she has been ordered to undergo an involuntary neuropsychological evaluation by a psychologist selected by that selfsame state Board.
The basic reason for these drastic measures, according to the Board, is that “Dr. Nass is or may be unable to practice medicine with reasonable skill and safety.” Furthermore, the Board noted that her continued practice “constitutes an immediate jeopardy to the health and physical safety of the public who might receive her medical services, and that it is necessary to immediately suspend her ability to practice medicine in order to adequately respond to this risk.”
Let’s examine some of the details of her alleged misdeeds. Foremost among these was the “public dissemination of misinformation” regarding COVID-19 vaccinations in a video posted on her website. She is also accused of spreading COVID-19 misinformation on Twitter. In fact, Dr. Nass acknowledges that the vaccinations are likely preventative, but questioned whether they are as effective with the current Omicron variant. I might point out that, as I understand it, Dr. Nass has not publicly opposed mainstream medical pandemic guidance, such as mask wearing, maintaining social distancing or even the idea of vaccination/booster shots. Nonetheless, as Dr. Nass herself has said, “There’s no law that says doctors can’t express their educated opinion on any medical subject.”
Moreover, her position is hardly as radical as others who have been critical of the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines, even suggesting that the vaccine injections contain small computer chips designed to allow the government to control the populace.
According to the Board, another serious transgression was Dr. Nass’ treatment of COVID-19 infected patients with hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin. The Board points out that the emergency use authorization for hydroxychloroquine was revoked by the FDA because “it might not be effective.” As for ivermectin, the Board objected because that agent is “not authorized or approved” as a COVID-19 treatment.
Oh my! Should I contact the respective medical boards of all the dermatologic lecturers I have heard who promote administration of hydroxychloroquine for off-label use in various forms of scarring alopecia? How and to whom shall I report the entire CDC staff for recommending ivermectin as one of the two drugs of choice for the management of scabies, when it is neither authorized nor approved by the FDA for that specific indication? In fact, the published evidence for both hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin during COVID-19 infection is controversial and contradictory. Nonetheless, there are many learned physicians who maintain that one or both IS effective. Because they disagree with high profile Federal authorities, should all of them also lose their medical license and undergo mental health evaluations?
Yet another sin committed by Dr. Nass was that she made a diagnosis of COVID-19 over the phone and prescribed ivermectin. The patient was subsequently hospitalized for COVID-19 management. She certainly did get the diagnosis right but underestimated the disease severity. I guess I should ask for medical license revocation for the emergency room physician who sent me home following my first ER visit with NO therapy at all and a “return to work” slip! She certainly missed how seriously ill I was because I was subsequently admitted 24 hours later.
So, here’s what bothers me the most about poor Dr. Nass’ predicament. Just who is determining where truth ends, and disinformation or misinformation begins? It appears to me that there is much we don’t understand about this cursed virus, and, for that reason, “scientific truth” seems to constantly be changing. Almost anything that has been written or stated about COVID-19 can legitimately be contested. There are well qualified scientists, physicians, virologists, epidemiologists and biostatisticians who have already questioned some or all of the standard narrative being promulgated by those in power.
In reality, questioning and challenging orthodoxy is how science advances.
