If Physicians Can’t Comment on Nutrition, Then Exercise, Stress Reduction, and Seatbelts Should Be Off Limits, Too

I’m glad I don’t live in Australia now. Dr. Gary Fettke does, and he got into hot water with the national medical board. We in the U.S. have the 1st Amendment (to our Constitution) that protects free speech.

Dr. Malcolm Kendrick reports:

Anyway, my brain cleared enough to read an e-mail by Gary Fettke, who has promoted the high fat low carb lifestyle for a long time. He, like many others has been ruthlessly attacked for doing this. Professor Tim Noakes was accused of exactly the same thing, and the South African authorities dragged him to court in order to silence him (not yet sure of the verdict).

Gary Fettke is an Australian orthopedic surgeon who has suffered the same fate as Tim Noakes. However, in Australia it seems you can be accused, tried and found guilty without having any chance to defend yourself in person. This is not a court of law, but the Australian Medical Board (AHPRA) who can – as with the General Medical Council (GMC) – strike you off being a doctor. Which for a doctor is a gigantic punishment.

Previously, Gary had been told that he could not comment on any area of nutrition for advocating a reduction in sugar intake (to what are now WHO guidelines). Of course, as with all such cases the ‘authorities’ changed the goalposts from a discussion on low carb high fat (LCHF) and turned the discussion into something else.

Namely, that Gary Fettke, as an orthopaedic surgeon should never give advice on dietary matters. “The fundamental fact ‘is’ that you are not suitably trained or educated as a medical practitioner to be providing advice or recommendations on this topic as a medical practitioner.”

This of course allows the AHPRA to silence him, without discussion any of the science, and no chance of any appeal. So, his suspension about discussing any matters of diet has now been turned into a lifelong ban.

Source: Those who promote a high fat low carbohydrate diet are silenced around the world | Dr. Malcolm Kendrick