The Nobodies Behind Kevin's Veil

Kevin M.D. has taken to selectively deleting my comments at his blog again . . . especially when they are overly critical of the AMA. It's happened twice in a week. I'm annoyed - mostly because I sign my name when others don't.

On this thread, cited on my recent "Nobodies" post, an anonymous Pediatrician said (I've corrected typos):

I am a board-certified pediatrician, who cut my clinical teeth reading widely respected peds textbooks co-edited by DeAngelis during residency. I always looked up to her academic prowess, and today find I am dismayed, disillusioned, and yes, disgusted at the behavior of my fellow pediatric colleague. Especially in the name of professional ethics and integrity.

Most pediatricians have no use for the AMA. We have the AAP and don't need it. After my first year in practice, I discontinued my membership. I was surprised when DeAngelis made the career move to edit JAMA (although the reported $500,000 salary may have a little to do with it!) I am even more surprised to see her display such an elitist attitude in such a public forum as the WSJ. I never thought someone I looked up to as a true academic professional could be so painfully ignorant.

Dr. DeAngelis needs to do two things.

First, she needs to make a very public apology to Dr. Leo, and to her professional colleagues everywhere for her condescending and unprofessional remarks. Any one of us could have been the 'nobody' of Dr. Leo, in correctly questioning the integrity of the study in question.

Second, then she absolutely needs to resign her ivory tower position at JAMA and regain some apparently much-needed humility.

Finally: Thank you, Dr. Leo, for being a 'somebody'. Your students should be very proud to have you as a teacher and mentor.

I posted the following response. It was not posted.:

Anon 1:37, I am a Board-certified Pediatrician too.

And like you, I am not a member of the AMA - because every single position they have taken over the years has managed to screw me.

But I disagree that we "don't need" the AMA. We have desperately needed them to be our voice.

And they simply HAVE NOT BEEN THERE!!!

I am not going to pay them hundreds of dollares in dues for the privilege of ignoring me.

THE AMA DOES NOT CARE about those of us getting hammered on the front lines and in the trenches. I am one of those "nobodies" who was brutalized in public service - by people who committed CRIMES. Where was/is the AMA?

And in terms of the big bad medical blogs lifting any veils, last week, I learned that I am always going to have to save any comments I make here - because when you talk back forcefully to someone in the medical establishment (in this case, regarding the upcoming dog and pony shows that are Obama's healthcare forums), Kevin will delete you.

It was not the first time. And I resent the crap out of that because I'm not posting anonymously.

I am signing my name.

Related, at Kevin's.