Michelle Fiscus’ firing is infuriating, despicable

In the months preceding my retirement in May 2020, I sat as chairman of my hospital’s Physicians’ COVID-19 Committee. I am now infuriated by the firing of Dr. Fiscus for her attempts to promote COVID-19 vaccinations in Tennessee. Those responsible are guilty of contributing to thousands of avoidable impending COVID infections, hospitalizations and deaths.

The criticism of Dr. Fiscus centers on imagined circumvention of parental authority. The contention is that mature teens should not be vaccinated without specific authorization by a parent. She then states that the Mature Minors Doctrine (MMD) is “not code” and should not be promulgated by the state health department. She is wrong. The MMD is established by case precedent dating back to 1987 and by specific statutes applicable to treatment of these minors for STDs, drug abuse, emergencies, prenatal care, and contraception without parental consent.

Gov. Bill Lee and the majority in our legislature are wrong in the rationale for condemnation of Dr. Fiscus. Their pressure resulting in her firing was motivated by political expediency. Our Republican leadership is doing all it can to impede vaccination. Be it intentional or collateral to their political careers, their actions are despicable and lethal. Robert Landry, M.D.