Public trust in physicians has experienced notable fluctuations in recent years. At the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in April 2020, approximately 71.5% of Americans expressed trust in physicians and hospitals. However, by January 2024, this figure had declined to 40.1%.

As a doctor and a member of the medical establishment, I find myself in a paradox — I both do and don’t apologize. Let me explain.

Dr. Marty Makary, a professor of surgery at Johns Hopkins University and the nominee to lead the FDA, recently wrote Blindspots, a book exposing numerous errors made by healthcare leaders in recent years. These missteps have led to disastrous, even lethal, outcomes. A few examples include:

  • The claim that estrogen supplements cause breast cancer (they don’t).
  • The belief that avoiding peanuts in infancy prevents peanut allergies (the opposite is true).
  • The assertion that opioids aren’t addictive (a devastating misjudgment).
  • The idea that eating eggs raises cholesterol (only if you consume them in extreme excess).

These errors stemmed from the arrogance of some healthcare leaders and their refusal to critically evaluate scientific evidence. For them, I do not apologize.

However, I do apologize for not scrutinizing their decisions more critically. In defense of myself and my fellow doctors, this is an extraordinarily difficult task — over a million scientific papers are published each year, many of which are unreliable or even intentionally misleading, sometimes originating from adversarial sources.

That said, I have never met a doctor who didn’t want the best for their patients. Despite the obstacles we face, we genuinely care and are dedicated to your well-being. Your trust in your physician is paramount to your health, and we will continue striving to earn it.

Dr. Charlie Barnett is a contributor at KnoxTNToday for a weekly column, DocTalk, providing his expertise on health and wellness management.