CMSS Rebuttal to False Statements on Overcounting of Covid-19 Deaths

Rebuttal to False Statements on Overcounting of Covid-19 Deaths

October 25, 2020

Speaking with one voice, the Council of Medical Specialty Societies (CMSS), with 45 specialty societies representing more than 800,000 physician members, condemns the baseless claim that physicians are overcounting Covid-19 deaths for financial or political gain.

This implication is a direct affront to the professionalism and ethics of physicians and other health professionals who serve at the frontline of this pandemic at great risk to themselves and their families, often without adequate personal protective equipment. Many physicians have taken pay cuts to ensure that struggling medical practices and healthcare facilities remain open for their patients.

Although CMSS and its member societies should not have to defend the integrity of physicians and other clinicians during a national crisis, we stand with our members who are tirelessly working to serve the needs of their patients and their communities. These baseless claims do a disservice to all health professionals and promulgate misinformation that hinders our nation’s efforts to get the Covid-19 pandemic under control. Every American deserves a strong public health response to the pandemic based on sound science and respect for those who provide care.