DR. BEN CARSON: Patients should never fear political bias in healthcare

We all have deeply-held beliefs, and, thankfully, we live in a nation where we can freely express our ideas without fear of government oppression. That freedom is one of our nation’s greatest strengths. But freedom also comes with responsibility — especially for those entrusted with the lives of others. Recently, several shocking incidents have brought to light a disturbing trend: Doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals are putting politics and ideology ahead of their duty to protect the health and safety of their patients. 

The examples are legion. A nurse in Florida posted on TikTok wishing White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt a severe fourth-degree tear during childbirth. 

A nurse in Virginia uploaded a video suggesting ways to injure ICE agents, urging viewers to "make their lives miserable." Detectives in New York City who were injured while making an arrest were reportedly treated rudely and disrespectfully by hospital workers because staff suspected that they were ICE agents. 

Even internationally, in Sydney, Australia, two healthcare workers threatened to kill an Israeli man and claimed they had harmed Jewish patients in their care. Antisemitic conduct by health care providers in Britain is so pervasive that the secretary of state for Health and Social Care admitted it was "completely failing to protect Jewish patients." These incidents are more than just shocking, unacceptable lapses in judgment. They are violations of the trust and ethical responsibility that are central to medicine. 

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Trust and morality are the bedrock of good healthcare. Unfortunately, that trust has already been tested and broken in recent years. The poor handling of COVID-19, combined with widespread misinformation about vaccines and the efficacy of masking, to name just two, left many Americans skeptical of the health care providers and the public health establishment generally. 

Now, when medical professionals publicly express hostility or wish harm on individuals, it deepens a rift that puts the public at risk. Common sense tells us that no one should have to worry that a healthcare provider’s political or religious beliefs will affect their ability to care. Yet these incidents make that concern all too real. 

Medical misconduct includes breaches of ethical duty and intentional bias. When health care professionals publicly wish harm on someone they have never met, they violate the most fundamental principles of their profession. How can patients be expected to trust a system in which those entrusted with their lives might treat them differently because of their views, religion or background? And what happens when a patient challenges them or is perceived to be "difficult"? Because of this fear, patients may delay seeking care or choose to avoid care entirely. This breach of trust is a tangible threat to public health.

During my years as a neurosurgeon, I treated patients from a variety of backgrounds, beliefs and personalities. None of that mattered on the operating table. Medicine demands that doctors and nurses set aside personal biases and focus entirely on the well-being of the patient. If your mind is occupied with judgments about a patient’s beliefs or lifestyle, you simply cannot practice good medicine. 

An injured drunk driver must receive the same level of care as the people they injured in an accident. Anything less is unethical and unlawful. Indeed, even in warfare — where the stakes are literally life and death — battlefield medics are under ethical and legal obligations to treat enemy wounded so long as the wounded no longer presents a military threat. 

At the heart of the matter, we have drifted as a society from the moral compass and principles of faith on which our nation was founded. Without a higher authority such as God determining the inherent value of human life, the value of life becomes subjective and changeable. 

Medical professionals hold a unique position of power and trust, and with that comes a higher standard of accountability. Using one’s professional status to promote harm, encourage violence or suggest that certain people deserve mistreatment is utterly unacceptable. Those who engage in this behavior should face severe consequences, including loss of their license and employment. The public relies on healthcare providers to act in the best interest of every patient, regardless of personal beliefs. 

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Violations of professional ethics must carry real consequences, including revocation of medical licenses and job termination, so that others understand that these behaviors are intolerable.

Ultimately, the health care industry exists to heal people, not to advance political agendas. Professionals who cannot meet this standard should not be entrusted with the health and lives of others. Protecting trust in healthcare is not optional; it is essential to the safety and well-being of all Americans. It does us no good to have amazing ways to heal the sick if patients do not trust us to act in their best interests, regardless of any other factor. 

The medical profession demands more than skill. It demands character, integrity and compassion. If we allow personal beliefs to compromise care, we risk lives. Common sense, foundational faith and ethical responsibility must guide our healthcare system if we hope to maintain trust and ensure that every patient is treated with dignity, respect, and the care they deserve.