I commented recently on how medicine as a profession contains within it’s ranks a fair share of lowlife. One particularly vile variety of medical scum in my view is the yesman. The doctor who will obey whatever instruction comes down the line from management, even when that means tossing any concept of ethics and morality out of the window.
These types have always been around, Joseph Mengele being one of the most notorious examples. A slightly more recent example, this time from the 1950s can be found here. Just when you thought the reputation of the catholic church had bottomed out you discover new, even darker depths to which they have sunk. But in this example the church was the employer, and the medical teams involved simply went ahead and did as they were told regardless of the blatantly unethical nature of what they were doing.
Bang up to date and there are clearly doctors today who are also walking in the footsteps of Mengele. Again here blind obedience to his employers caused him to totally and wilfully disregard the welfare of his patients.
Sometimes the best interests of patients are best served by standing up and saying no. How many of us have that courage?
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