SFM Medicine Journal July 4th Editorial: We Hold these Truths to be Self-Evident by Dr. Michael Schrader July 2, 2025 San Francisco Marin Medicine 0 We Hold these Truths to be Self-Evident As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution I have been thinking about the heroism of the people who fought for our country against unjust governance. They risked everything to create the values and rights we hold today. Recently we have seen the Trump administration threaten to revoke accreditation of medical schools and graduate medical education programs over use of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) measures in selecting candidates for medical school and residency respectively. In addition, some of our medical journals have received notices that they must publish research driven by political agendas rather than fact-based medical research. And the vaccine industry has been given notice that the federal government will place an onerous regulatory burden on mRNA technology. Equality is key value expressed in our Declaration of Independence. June is Pride Month where San Francisco and the rest of the country celebrate diversity. Baron von Steuben who drilled our Continental Army at Valley Forge was an openly gay man. Without his preparation we would have lost the pivotal Battle of Monmouth Courthouse. DEI has accepted benefits for our profession and our patients. Our profession and our country have long struggled with the legacy of racism and sexism that have given the privileged class of white men unfair advantage in advancement and earning. If anything this is anti-meritocratic. Our patients are diverse and we are diverse. Freedom of the press is one of our core rights protected by the First Amendment along with freedom of speech, the right to assemble peaceably, and freedom of worship. The basis for this was the prosecution of John Peter Zenger, a printer, prior to the American Revolution who was sued for libel for criticizing the Royal Governor of New York. Diversity of opinion, reasonable discourse, propagation of ideas are a tenet in America. Censorship precludes the dissemination of knowledge, ideas and opinions. Vaccination has always been controversial. It requires cooperation to achieve herd immunity and prevention of communicable disease. General George Washington required his troops to be vaccinated against smallpox during the American Revolution because losing his soldiers to disease could cost him victory and the freedoms he and his patriots desired. As we physicians know, there is no conquering of infectious disease. Our recent Covid epidemic and ongoing endemic cases serve as a warning that we must be vigilant and prepared. Vaccines and induced immunity are a bulwark of community health. So in these three instances of federal policy we see deliberate wrongheadedness to cause trepidation in our medical training, inhibit dissemination of medical knowledge, and obstruct the use of the latest medical technology. The threat of censorship becomes intimidation. Already I have heard warnings that SFMMS should be careful and avoid any possible scrutiny from the federal government. And that our scope should not reach beyond the borders of our two counties. This may be a strategy that other groups in organized medicine use but not SFMMS. We do not receive federal funding so we do not need to fear cuts or recision of funds. Our patients and our members are dependent on federal policy for their lives and livelihoods respectively—national decisions affect our lives. And the ethos of SFMMS is not to remain silent and not fight back. We have impacted state and national policy about smoking and vaping, firearms, reproductive health, sugary beverages, treatment of detained migrant children seeking asylum, and many other issues. Equality, freedom of expression, and acceptance of the benefits of scientific ideas were key components of the American Revolution. The documents and attitudes and resilience of the American patriots made the United States what it is today. Physicians were heroes of the American Revolution including Drs. Joseph Warren, Samuel Prescott, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Church (complicated legacy) and many others. Our profession has always produced trusted leaders. We will not let ourselves be intimidated by tyrants. Comments are closed.
