Calif. physicians sue Gov. Newsom over vaccine law

A group of physicians in California are suing Governor Gavin Newsom and his administration over a new law that will restrict free speech for doctors.

OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 12:09 PM PT – Monday, November 7, 2022

A group of physicians in California are suing Governor Gavin Newsom and his administration over a new law that will restrict free speech for doctors.

Assembly Bill 2098 was signed into law by Newsom (D-Calif.) in September, prompting the recently filed lawsuit.

The bill would put physicians at risk of losing their licenses and being charged with unprofessional conduct for asking questions about the COVID-19 vaccine and recommending alternative treatments.

Dr. Jeff Barke, a board certified physician who joined the suit, said that this is concerning as the law would essentially be a gag order on medical professionals.

“Your listeners should know is that the law itself states the following: misinformation means false information that is contradicted by contemporary scientific consensus contrary to the standard of care,” Barke said. “This is basically a gag order on all physicians. What’s really disturbing is it’s going to require their physicians to be forced to consider the state’s position when deciding the treatment plan for the patient.”

The new law is set to go into effect in January.