17 Comments
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Andrew Hodges, MD's avatar

I think this is great. We’re starting to wake up and realize the legacy organizations, in many cases, can’t prove they’re actually benefitting doctors and patients. My own personal way of fighting for the cause is by leaving ABIM. Their burdensome, evidence-less, and expensive MOC pathway pushed me too far. NBPAS, here I come…

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Bill Mazzella's avatar

It is progress that we are finally taking the big horse of Health Care to task. But to criticize every move that officials did is Monday morning quarterbacking and shows callousness. We all know that criticizing the job and being in the job is a world of difference. So we need to stop the politicking and constructively move on if that is possible.

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GBM's avatar

Then there is the ample evidence that the WHO collaborated with the Chinese government t o prevent an adequate investigation of the Wuhan lab and has never taken a position on the risks and value of gain of function research. This organization is corrupt up and down and in and out.

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Padre Dave Poedel's avatar

Thank you for this paper. Even i (a retired Paramedic and Physiology professor) knew from the start that the response to this created virus were overwrought. Basic principles of publishing health should have concluded that this virus would be self-limiting and naturally acquired immunity should and did provide herd immunity. I was apoplectic at the stupid decisions our leaders made, but since the CDC was obfuscating their role in the creation of the COVID virus. Poor planning and the outrage of closing churches made the entire response a violation of our Constitutional rights. RESIST, and demand truth!

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Adam's avatar

Painful. Politics has infatuated so many of the organizations that I used to respect. I don’t think I’ll be able to trust them again.

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Bill Mazzella's avatar

The discussion around U.S. WHO membership has centered on several key points:

Funding and Influence: The U.S. has been the WHO's largest financial contributor, providing significant operational funding and maintaining considerable influence over global health initiatives.

Accountability Concerns: Critics have raised questions about the WHO's decision-making processes, transparency, and response to global health emergencies.

International Cooperation: Supporters of WHO membership argue that global health challenges require international cooperation and that the U.S. can better influence global health policy from within the organization.

Reform Proposals: Some experts have advocated for maintaining membership while pushing for internal reforms rather than withdrawal.

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Guy Montag, E-451's avatar

In early 2020, my firefighter union (IAFF) recommended using N95 masks since they recognized Covid was not just droplet spread, but aerosol-spread. Upon "doing my own research" I learned the evidence supported their position. However, it took the WHO (and CDC) about TWO years to admit it! (probably since admitting aerosol-spread would make medical masks and 6-foot distancing nonsensical).

Unfortunately, I wasn't as skeptical about the Covid vaccine. On 12/23/20, as a firefighter, I was among the first to get the Phizer shot. About a week after my 2nd shot, I got DVTs in my calves, followed by hospitalization for PE in my lungs. I didn't even realize it was a vaccine injury until a year later since I was assured it was just coincidental since the Covid shots were "safe and effective".

Wouldn't it be great it we could also "withdraw" from the FDA & CDC? (since they are fully captured by Big Pharma!)

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Joseph Marine, MD's avatar

The WHO failed disastrously during the covid pandemic - and changed none of their leadership. This is a hallmark of a dysfunctional organization. It has shown no respect for national sovereignty. Its leaders are unelected and unaccountable. Its Director-General can declare a PHEIC by himself, ignoring the advice of everyone around him. Creating a more responsive and accountable leadership and declaring lockdowns to be a crime against humanity should be a precondition to reconsidering US membership.

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kpatrick's avatar

I apologize for being a grammar national socialist, but I found a small typo in this sentence:

“These people make complex calculations. For instance, is it worth it to see a loved one, even though it means some risk.”

It should read:

“These people make complex calculations. For instance, is it worth it to attend a ***Molly fueled sex party***, even though it means some risk.”

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RoseyT's avatar

🤣

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Hansang Bae's avatar

Chef's kiss. That's all I got, Dr. Prasad. I guess I really *am* tired of winning all the time, now. :)

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Ernest N. Curtis's avatar

A real no-brainer. I would also send the UN packing and abolish the NIH and the entire department of Health and Human Services. And that would only be a good start.

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Tina C's avatar

Amen!

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Dean's avatar

Bravo Vinay, I'm happy to see you take a clear-eyed view of WHO. I had always assumed WHO was a good thing but later saw that it consistently and reliably took the wrong side on covid-related issues and pushed terrible policies - and was arrogant to boot. Good riddance.

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Helen Reich's avatar

It’s understandable that our WHO membership had little to no value during the pandemic. I’m wondering if there’s value in our membership as far as non-Covid related topics are concerned. Is there anything the WHO offers that we’d miss?

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Jim Ryser's avatar

WHO then, will keep half the country compliant to their fears?

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Colin D's avatar

One key point missing is that even if all these things actually worked, which they don't, it would still be morally wrong. It's all a massive violation of our sovereignty to make our own risk decisions. Medical bodies can make suggestions and present their cases. Anything beyond that takes us to distopian place.

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