The two principles of medical ethics that all physicians, nurses, administrators, and patients understood before the COVID-19 crisis were: 1) patient autonomy and 2) informed consent.
When these two principles were upheld as they always were, families and patients routinely participate in a time-honored practice of shared decision-making on diagnostic and therapeutic management.1 Since the patient and or their insurance company is paying the hospital bills, these processes of care made the system move along for millions of Americans who are hospitalized every year.
With the COVID-19 pandemic and the declaration that the US government would pay for hospitalizations as an emergency countermeasure, there were sweeping changes and immediate dissolution of the principles of medical ethics as they apply to those under duress. Loss of autonomy was seen with the practice of isolation; patients were not given choices on what happens to their bodies, and even worse, once semi-conscious, or on the mechanical ventilator, they lost all control over what happened to their bodies.
Informed consent was lost with EUA products, most notably remdesivir, the failed viral polymerase inhibitor. Hospitals and doctors failed to inform patients that the WHO, after completing the largest clinical trial of remdesivir, declared the drug should not be used in acutely hospitalized patients with COVID-19 since it did not lead to a reduction in mortality. It could complicate care or contribute to death through the mechanisms of acute kidney injury and hepatic damage.2
Despite this warning, the NIH and hospital protocols featured remdesivir in conjunction with hospital bonuses on payment from HHS. As a result, the majority of a million Americans lost their lives to COVID-19, most in the hospital, putting the totality of in-hospital care up to the tests of autonomy, informed consent, and shared decision-making.
Did the patients and families feel all of these rights were fulfilled, and patients received the maximum treatment possible? Sadly, many families feel none of these tenants were satisfied, and to that end, the first class-action lawsuit has been filed in California.
Dr. Lee Vliet of Truth For Health Foundation: “Attorneys Dan Watkins and Michael Hamilton announced in a national Press Conference September 7 the filing of their first-in-the-nation landmark lawsuit against three hospitals on behalf of families who had lost their loved ones with the “bounties” paid to hospitals for using the toxic combination of food and fluid restriction, remdesivir, mechanical ventilation, high dose morphine-midazolam respiration-suppressing cocktail to spiral patients down the dark road to death.
After more than 2 ½ years of daily COVID deaths in America’s hospitals, we finally have the first two attorneys in the US to take legal action boldly and courageously against three hospitals in Fresno, California, for wrongful death, medical battery, elder abuse, and other violations of patients’ rights to hold these hospital administrators, doctors, and nurse accountable for such horrific patient abuses.”3
This week, we have a wonderful show that summarizes news events over August and September, including contributions from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson, California Surgeon Scot Youngblood, MD, and Dr. McCullough’s speech on stage in Fresno, CA.4,5,6,7 This week’s music selection comes from Rachel Trotto and is “Progress” by country star John Rich.8
So let’s get real, let’s get loud; on America Out Loud Talk Radio, this is The McCullough Report!
The McCullough Report: Sat/Sun 2 PM ET Encore 7 PM – Internationally recognized Dr. Peter A. McCullough, known for his iconic views on the state of medical truth in America and around the globe, pierces through the thin veil of mainstream media stories that skirt the significant issues and provide no tractable basis for durable insight. Listen on iHeart Radio, our world-class media player, or our free apps on Apple, Android, or Alexa. Each episode goes to major podcast networks early in the week and can be heard on-demand anywhere in the world.
References:
1 McKnight H, Moore SM. Nursing Shared Governance. 2021 Sep 20. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan–. PMID: 31751052.
2 https://www.who.int/news-room/feature-stories/detail/who-recommends-against-the-use-of-remdesivir-in-covid-19-patients
3 https://www.truthforhealth.org/2022/09/remdesivir-wrongful-death-landmark-lawsuit-filed-against-three-hospitals-in-fresno-calif/
4 https://t.me/c/1639877987/52
5 https://t.me/c/1639877987/49
6 https://vimeo.com/750180722
7 https://rumble.com/v1jl35e-dr.-mccullough-speaks-in-fresno-at-the-remdesivir-lawsuit-conference-min-53.html
8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6tOAafAJCA