As the oldest medical society in the United States the Massachusetts Medical Society can count some of the greatest minds in the history of American medicine as members.  My how far we have fallen.  This same author has previously unintelligibly compared the field of medicine to Barbra Streisand’s face and shamelessly and opportunistically blamed the Boston Marathon bombing on “marijuana withdrawal.” 

 

The sophomoric mnemonics are neither clever nor illuminating.  Unworthy of  Readers Digest circa 1957, this dumbing down of doctors needs to end.  The very soul and practice of medicine is being castrated and lobotomized by the same dull and very very blunt instrument. 

How does one reconcile the fact that the very same medical society that publishes the New England Journal of Medicine is allowing this type of tripe and rabble to get past editorial review?  In 1969, through an act of the state legislature, the Massachusetts Medical Society updated its mission to read:

“The purposes of the Massachusetts Medical Society shall be to do all things as may be necessary and appropriate to advance medical knowledge, to develop and maintain the highest professional and ethical standards of medical practice and health care, and to promote medical institutions formed on liberal principles for the health, benefit and welfare of citizens of the commonwealth.”

With a foundation and history built and based on of scholarship and critical thought we need to support the highest levels of science, fact, intelligence and reason.  Stupidity tries but it should not rein.    Before the Boston Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge in 1842, Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes delivered two long lectures entitled “Homeopathy and Its Kindred Delusions.” He characterized one of its popular practitioners, Dr. Robert Wesselhoeft, as one of those:  

“Emperics [quacks], ignorant barbers, and men of that sort…who announce themselves ready to relinquish all the accumulated treasure of our art, to trifle with life upon the strength of these fantastic theories.” That “pretended science” as Holmes called it, was “a mingled mass of perverse ingenuity, of tinsel erudition, of imbecile credulity, and artful misrepresentation, too often mingled in practice…with heartless and shameless imposition.”

And Holmes words are as apt and appropriate today as they were in mid 19th Century Boston!   Probably more so.

History has recurrently proved that false constructs and groundless concepts allow for endless error.

The Massachusetts Medical Society needs to come to the realization that Physician Health Services is engaging in procedural, ethical and legal breaches.  

The evidence is clear that past medical director Dr. Luis Sanchez and Director of operations Linda Bresnahan are engaging in not only unethical but criminal activity within the walls of the MMS.  Egregious misconduct including forensic fraud and political abuse of psychiatry can be seen in detail here, here and here.

This is not a matter  of opinion but a matter of fact.  It has been ascertained by outside agencies and can also be confirmed by two former associate directors at PHS.    What more does the MMS need?   This type of misconduct can have grave and far reaching consequences for referred doctors and needs to be addressed urgently with precise, firm methods.   To ignore the problem or suggest that it does not exist will only cause more damage.

The majority of Massachusetts Medical Society members are honest, thoughtful and responsible.   Most are unaware of the ethical and criminal allegations concerning PHS..  It is time they become aware as sunshine is the best disinfectant.   As the most crucial step in solving a problem is admitting it exists I am requesting this be ascertained or refuted based on the documents and examined procedurally, ethically and legally. If there is no problem then the MMS should have no problem supporting or justifying the actions of Dr. Luis Sanchez, Dr. Wayne Gavryck and Linda Bresnahan. If the MMS cannot justify, support or defend these actions then it must be concluded that these individuals have violated professional protocol,,  professional and community ethics and the law. And if that is the case it is the responsibility of the MMS to admit the problem exists, define it and address it.  It is the responsibility of the MMS to facilitate exposure and that those engaged in wrongdoing be held appropriately accountable for their actions.  I am sure no one at the MMS would disagree that forensic fraud be met with Zero-tolerance.    The criminal and ethical violations shown here do not comport with any codes of conduct including those of the medical society.   Those engaging in forensic fraud must be removed.

Good leadership requires correct moral and ethical behavior of both the individual and the organization. .  Integrity is necessary for establishing relationships of trust.  It requires a true heart and an honest soul.  People of integrity instinctively do the “right thing” in any and all circumstances.  Adherence to ethical codes of the profession is a universal obligation.  It excludes all exceptions.  Without ethical integrity, falsity will flourish.

The documentary evidence here shows fraud. It is intentional.  All parties involved knew what they were doing, knew it was wrong but did it anyway.  The schism between pious rhetoric and reality is wide.

One measure of integrity is truthfulness to words and deeds.  These people claim professionalism, ethics and integrity.  The documents show a reality of hypocrisy and sanctimony.   But the hypocrisy seen here is also a danger because the careers and lives of doctors in Massachusetts are in these peoples hands.

-Michael Langan, M..D.