On June 20, 2022, Pandemic Patients submitted testimony to the California Senate Standing Committee on Business, Professions, and Economic Development in support of California Assembly Bill 2098 (AB 2098). If enacted, AB 2098 would include the dissemination of misinformation or disinformation about COVID-19 in the definition of unprofessional conduct. This would include inaccurate information about “the nature and risks of COVID-19, its prevention and treatment, and the development, safety, and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines.” By including this type of behavior in the definition of unprofessional conduct, California will authorize the Medical Board of California and the Osteopathic Medical Board of California to discipline physicians and surgeons who spread disinformation or misinformation about COVID-19 to their patients.
AB 2098 previously passed the California State Assembly on May, 26, 2022 and the California Senate Standing Committee on Business, Professions, and Economic Development will hold a hearing on AB 2098 on June 27, 2022. Pandemic Patients’ testimony in support of AB 2098 focused on the harm that has resulted from misinformation about COVID-19, including economic harm and widespread vaccine hesitancy, and how regulating the spread of misinformation about COVID-19 is necessary to bolster the government’s ability to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. However, opponents of AB 2098 criticize the legislation for abridging the First Amendment rights of health care professionals, but Pandemic Patients provides a legal analysis that demonstrates why these claims are unsupported by existing First Amendment caselaw.
Click here to read Pandemic Patients testimony and learn more about this issue.
We are excited to announce the launch of our Long COVID Disability Justice 2022 campaign. Through Dec. 31, 2022, we are raising funds to support the expansion of our programs in 2023 while raising awareness about the challenges that long COVID patients experience related to disability.
On Nov. 3, 2022, Pandemic Patients joined other disability advocates to request that Congressional leadership ensure full funding for the Social Security Administration (SSA) in FY 2023.
On Oct. 31, 2022, Pandemic Patients joined with COVID Survivors for Change and Long COVID Families to submit a letter of support for California’s proposed Safety Orders.
On September 30, 2022, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2098 into law. This new law will subject physicians and surgeons to discipline by the state’s medical boards if they spread misinformation or disinformation about COVID-19.
Pandemic Patients is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that works to relieve the harm caused by COVID-19 and Post-COVID Conditions.
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