Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., told Newsmax on Tuesday that the principle of informed consent in medicine has been eroded, particularly during the pandemic, as public health officials pushed mass vaccination without respect for individual choice.
On “The Chris Salcedo Show,” Paul said the government and media too often dismissed the idea that Americans, together with their doctors, should make their own medical decisions.
“The idea of informed consent is a serious one,” Paul said. “It’s amazing how far away we get from things. We think, oh, well, government believes in the greater good. … But the idea of informed consent is incredibly important. And just think about how far we’ve drifted away from this concept.”
Paul criticized mainstream media backlash to a recent proposal from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his department to emphasize individualized decision-making on getting vaccinated.
“They were going to let individuals base decisions on whether to take a vaccine. … You mean your doctor’s going to talk to the patient about them individually and then make a joint decision or allow the patient to make a decision?” Paul said. “The mainstream media were horrified that we would actually allow [that] decision-making process to occur between the doctor and the patient.”
Paul also renewed his criticism of Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former White House COVID-19 adviser, saying Fauci was more interested in enforcing compliance than in weighing actual health risks.
“What I said all along about Fauci: He was more concerned about submission than he was about health,” Paul said. “He was more concerned that everyone submit because he thought … it would be for our greater good. But turns out he was wrong even about that.”
Paul argued that the risks of COVID-19 vaccination for children were greater than the risks posed by the virus itself.
“I still think that to be true,” he said.
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