Every time someone asks me for medical advice, I always start off with the phrase, "I'm not a doctor." The implication is that I'm not entirely trustworthy on the subject, and that what information I offer (or fail to offer) may be a serious error. The logical inverse, of course, is 'I'm a doctor, so you can trust that you'll be getting the full story,' barring highly unlikely scenarios.
Right wing legislators are assaulting faith in medical professionals this year. A number of bills have required that doctors provide inaccurate information to pregnant women regarding the developing fetus. Now the Arizona Senate has passed a bill that would immunize doctors against malpractice suits for failing to tell women about known pre-natal abnormalities. This would include obvious damage to the fetus, or even problems that can prove fatal to the woman.
It's about time that Republicans put down their toy stethoscope and religious props and utter four simple words: "I'm not a doctor." And even if they do hold the requisite training and certifications, "I'm not your doctor" would suffice.
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