We’ve been dealing with the coronavirus pandemic for just short of two years. It’s affected almost everybody in some way, either by illness, economic hardship, restrictions on ability to participate in sports or other events, etc.

I think most would agree that the approach to the virus has been politicized and has created friction between people with differing opinions about how it is being addressed. More recently, the impact has extended to potential loss of employment as a result of vaccine mandates. Among all the effects, this is the one which is rightly considered to constitute a real threat to personal medical freedom, the freedom to choose for oneself whether to accept or decline testing or treatment.

Many years ago, it was common practice for a doctor to tell a patient what to do and most patients would accept it without question. More recently, the paradigm of medical practice has shifted to emphasizing patient autonomy, patient privacy and partnering with rather than dictating to the patient. This patient-centered approach to medical care has been adopted as standard practice for many years.

However, much of what has happened in the last year, particularly with respect to mandates, goes contrary to the concept of allowing a patient to make choices about their medical care. It threatens medical freedom and affects people in a variety of ways.

If you'd like to hear some of the personal experiences, stories and perspectives, Fountain Hills AZ Tea Party will host a Medical Freedom Forum on Thursday, Jan. 20, at 6:30 p.m. at the American Legion Post 58 in Fountain Hills. All are welcome.