Today's Washington Post has this column about state laws that restrict (or in some cases mandate) communications between doctors and their patients. It is based on this report by the National Partnership for Women and Families, the National Physicians Alliance, the National Resources Defense Council, and the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence.
Here is the gist of the WaPo column, by Catherine Rampell:
State legislators have repeatedly inserted themselves into exam rooms and under hospital gowns, telling doctors what they can and cannot discuss with patients; forcing providers to recite scripted medical advice they know to be factually inaccurate (abortion can give you cancer, for example); and even instructing physicians to prioritize the financial interests of private companies over the health of their patients.
Rampell goes on to provide several examples; there are many more in the full report. (Disclosure: My daughter is the Director of Reproductive Health Programs at the National Partnership for Women and Families.)
Comments