US Senator Calls on American Board of Internal Medicine to Participate in COVID-19 Public Forum

Dear Dr. Baron:

I am in receipt of your letter to Dr. Peter McCullough, dated May 26, 2022, in which the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) provided notice that the ABIM’s Credentials and Certification Committee will hold a meeting to determine “whether to recommend any disciplinary sanction against” Dr. McCullough. 

In your letter, you cite a number of evidence-based public opinions Dr. McCullough made regarding COVID-19, natural and herd immunity, asymptomatic spread, and COVID-19 vaccination policy.   As you are aware, Dr. McCullough provided testimony before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on November 19, 2020, and again on January 24, 2022 during a roundtable event I held in Washington, D.C. titled, “COVID-19, A Second Opinion.”[1]

The “Second Opinion” event featured a number of prominent medical experts who happen to have varied perspectives on our response to the pandemic.[2]   In America, different perspectives and diversity of opinions are protected under our Constitution and in a time of crisis, encouraged.  As a Senator charged with the responsibility of conducting oversight of federal government agencies, I asked these medical experts to publicly offer their opinions organized around the “four pillars of pandemic response” as originally published by Dr. McCullough.[3]   In order to have a balanced conversation, I invited the heads or other representatives of our federal health agencies and vaccine manufacturers to present their perspective and engage in a dialogue with Dr McCullough, et al. I also invited those same health agency and manufacturer representatives to an event I held on November 2, 2021 featuring medical experts and individuals with vaccine injuries.[4] 

Unfortunately, the federal health agencies, public health experts and vaccine manufacturers did not accept my invitation to either event.   Rather than engage in a public dialogue in which information and perspectives can be openly exchanged and debated, the individuals and organizations responsible for our pandemic response continue to attack and discredit those with a different perspective by using the vague pejorative of “spreading misinformation”. 

It is well last time for the public to hear from many sides regarding COVID-19 in a public forum.  The purpose of this letter is to invite you, members of your Credentials and Certification Committee, and any other medical expert of your choosing to come to Washington and engage in an open and honest interchange regarding all aspects of COVID-19, without the threat of reprisal by the ABIM or any other organization.  I request your participation in a public forum on one of the following dates: July 26, July 27, July 29, August 2 or August 3.

Dr. McCullough will be given the same opportunity to name a panel of experts to represent diverse evidence-based viewpoints.  I sincerely hope you will respond positively to this invitation so that we can agree on and schedule a date for this important discussion. 

Thank you for your attention to this important matter and I look forward to your participation in the upcoming event.

Sincerely,

Ron Johnson

United States Senator