California’s Misguided Effort to Stifle COVID Scientific Discourse

On September 12, the California legislature sent to Governor Newsom’s desk AB-2098, that “would designate the dissemination [by physicians and surgeons] of misinformation or disinformation related to the SARS‐​CoV‑2 coronavirus, or ‘COVID-19,’ as unprofessional conduct,” which means they may be sanctioned or lose their license. The bill defines “misinformation” as “false information that is contradicted by contemporary scientific consensus contrary to the standard of care.”At first blush, this might seem reasonable. After all, it’s considered medical malpractice to violate the “standard of care”—the consensus of peer medical professionals regarding the proper way to diagnose and treat specific health conditions. And state licensing boards are charged with enforcing the standard of care, holding licensees accountable for violations