Physicians have traditionally taken the Hippocratic Oath, which is based on the ancient Greek physician’s approach to bioethics. However, just because they may do no harm does not necessarily mean they are doing any good. In British Columbia, for example, the province is reintroducing mask mandates in healthcare settings, but is there any empirical evidence to justify this? Does this measure actually provide any benefit?
One study that can shed light on this question is “Physical interventions to interrupt or reduce the spread of respiratory viruses.” With multiple randomized clinical trials involving over 600,000 people, the evidence indicates no clear reduction in respiratory viral infections when wearing medical/surgical masks or N95/P2 masks. Even wearing masks by healthcare workers during routine care did not prevent respiratory viral infections.
So why is B.C. reinstating mask mandates if there is no clear benefit? This goes against the principles of the Hippocratic Oath, which emphasizes the importance of providing treatments that benefit patients. It is not enough to simply avoid harm; physicians should strive to do good.
This case illustrates three aspects with broad implications. First, we must consider the characteristics of a free citizen as described by John Locke during the Enlightenment. Locke emphasized individual ownership and rights, including freedom of speech. However, recent mandates and restrictions have infringed on personal autonomy and limited individual freedoms.
Second, there are at least five characteristics of totalitarianism, as detailed by thinkers like Aron, Friedrich, and Brzezinski. These include a state ideology, state control of the economy, a one-party state, ideological terror for dissenters, and control of mass media for official “truth.” In some ways, these characteristics can be seen in the current situation, with woke cultural Marxism as the state ideology, attempts at economic control through measures like carbon taxes and lockdowns, and limitations on dissenting speech.
To address this problem and ensure democratic accountability, it is essential to have elected representatives take final responsibility for decisions, rather than unelected officials. One potential solution is to implement direct democracy, similar to the ancient Greeks, where recall legislation allows citizens to hold elected officials accountable. Without democratic accountability, we risk living under an oppressive regime.
As a physician, the author calls for their profession to reclaim its honor, integrity, and respect. They reject the idea of Orwellian official “truth” and emphasize the importance of empirical observation and reason in building a civilization of free, healthy citizens. It is essential for citizens to reclaim their country from authoritarianism and prioritize truth and reason over lies and oppression.