The American Medical Association has filed a friend-of-the-court brief, opposing Florida's attempt to restore a law that would prohibit physicians from asking patients about whether they have guns in their homes.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott signed the Firearm Owner's Privacy Act into law in 2011. Physician groups later sued the state in federal district court, whereupon a judge ruled in September 2011 that the law violated physicians' rights to free speech.
Gov. Scott is leading the effort to appeal that decision and restore the law. The AMA is asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit to uphold the federal court's decision that ruled the "docs vs. glocks" law, as it is commonly called, unconstitutional.
"Lawmakers cannot insert the state into the patient-physician relationship by dictating, prohibiting or threatening the open communication between patient and physician," AMA President Jeremy A. Lazarus, MD, said in the release. "The AMA will vigorously defend the patient-physician relationship and the free speech necessary for the practice of medicine."
Nine medical specialty societies joined the AMA in filing the court brief.
Florida Governor Appeals Ruling on Law Banning Physicians From Asking About Guns
New Florida Law Prohibits Physicians From Asking Patients About Gun Ownership
Florida Gov. Rick Scott signed the Firearm Owner's Privacy Act into law in 2011. Physician groups later sued the state in federal district court, whereupon a judge ruled in September 2011 that the law violated physicians' rights to free speech.
Gov. Scott is leading the effort to appeal that decision and restore the law. The AMA is asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit to uphold the federal court's decision that ruled the "docs vs. glocks" law, as it is commonly called, unconstitutional.
"Lawmakers cannot insert the state into the patient-physician relationship by dictating, prohibiting or threatening the open communication between patient and physician," AMA President Jeremy A. Lazarus, MD, said in the release. "The AMA will vigorously defend the patient-physician relationship and the free speech necessary for the practice of medicine."
Nine medical specialty societies joined the AMA in filing the court brief.
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New Florida Law Prohibits Physicians From Asking Patients About Gun Ownership