The Role of the Medical Profession in Swaying Public Policy: Exploring Physician Responsibility and Advocacy

Abstract

Physicians in training have a broad range of subjects they must study and in which they must train and develop proficiency. The scope of a doctor's expertise, however, must not be limited to an immediate practical knowledge of anatomical structures or the pathology of a given disease. As medical advances accelerate, physicians are increasingly being called upon not simply to practice medicine in a one-on-one relationship with a patient, but to provide a voice of professional and scientific authority in informing the public about the nature and value of medical developments. In this article, we explore the underpinnings of the physician's authority and the evolution of the relationship between the physician and society, and touch upon contemporary social issues within the purview of physician advocacy. We also consider important questions that arise from that evolving relationship: What are acceptable topics on which a physician may offer a professional opinion? How does a doctor disentangle his or her personal and professional views on a contentious topic? Can a physician ethically "speak for the profession" if there is no medical consensus on a given topic?. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]