I have no issue whether Commander Sean Conley, DO, USN has an MD or DO as his medical discipline and healing tradition.
But I have serious concerns about his conduct that is publicly discernable and the misleading statements about when and what tests were used for President Trump and what the results are of the tests for COVID-19 and its impact on the lungs and other vital tissues.
I have been quite concerned by Conley’s conduct not only as the physician of the President but an officer of the U.S. Navy whose patient is also his Commander in Chief.
I have concerns that certain calls made by Commander Conley don’t comport with the exemplary tenets of conduct expected of very member of the US Navy — those inscribed for all time in Honor Concept and the Honor Treatise of the Brigade of the Midshipmen.
I want all of you to know no matter how many times or how dogmatically Conley or anyone else asserts it, there is no HIPAA- based restriction in releasing information about the test results for COVID-19 virus of similar highly dangerous infectious agents. There is a public health exception for the HIPAA Law.
There these problems, too, with Conley’s assertion about testing for COVID-19 besides the potential legal and ethical infractions that are observable, questions about ability to practice with safety and skill are testable in a hearing before the licensing board in the state in which his practice is located. I will review the information that sheds light on these concerns I have cited.
What type of test was used? When was POTUS -45 tested after he was discharged on Monday Oct. 5? Also, what test was used? The fast test advocated by the White House which looks at antigens is virtually useless because the range of validity varies from 34-80% according to the World Health Organization. The Governor of Ohio was a prominent example of false predictive value of this test. Under the current circumstances it is essential the PCR test must be completed for the President because these are most accurate if the samples are obtained by trained staff. The antibody test which is the third kind of test is again virtually useless to determine if POTUS 45 can mingle with the public or even with the White House staff as is his wont to do. Even PCR tests have false negatives.
The Achilles heel of the WH strategy using the fast antigen test are false negatives that can result in widespread social contamination and increase the factor representing how many people are infected by one infected person. HHS site states: ” All states have laws that require providers to report cases of specific diseases to PH officials. The HIPAA Privacy Rule permits disclosures that are required by Law. In order to do their job of protecting the health of the public it is frequently necessary for PH officials to obtain information about the persons affected by a disease…. and their contacts.
Another important issue I have with Conley is that he reportedly authorized the use of Hydroxychloroquine by POTUS 45. This drug is not approved for use against COVID-19, plus, it has significant health risks especially with comorbid health issues of POTUS 45. Most importantly, at the time this drug was authorized, Conley had not established that the President was diagnosed with any of the diseases for which it is approved by the FDA. This drug that was allegedly prescribed to POTUS for a phantom COVID-19 can cause irreversible blindness, serious cardio myopathy and other problems.
Velandy Manohar, MD is a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association.