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Can I be sued for advice about medical topics if I am very clear that I'm not a doctor?

Asked over 2 years ago - Boston, MA

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I like to give advice in an online forum about a specific mind-body approach to healing back pain. I mention in every post that I'm not a doctor, but sometimes the advice that I give contradicts the advice given by doctors. I frequently clarify that what I am stating is just my opinion.

I'd like to research whether I am incurring legal liability at a law library. What subjects should I ask the librarian about? (I also hope to hire a lawyer, but my goal is to save money by doing research first.)

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Mr Myers, you seem to have made quite a few assumptions about what I do. While I feel as if you've misunderstood me, I greatly appreciate your help. I bet that with adequate explanation, you would at least respect my decision. Note: to keep my question concise, I haven't really given you "adequate explanation."

Nonetheless, I need to do the research, and thank you for your help. Are there any other concepts I should look up? Are misrepresentation and exerting undue influence terms that I could bring to a legal reference librarian without further clarification? Am I right that "insuring yourself against lawsuits" was just a rhetorical device?

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Andrew Daniel Myers

Reputation Level 20

Answered over 2 years ago. Personal Injury Lawyer in North Andover, MA.

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Why would you give advice of a medical nature if you know that it "is just my opinion"?

I don't like going to physicians just as much as the next middle aged guy and I've been exercising, eating a healthful diet and popping vitamin pills for decades to ... successfully so far ... avoid illness.

However, you are treading on pretty dangerous territory where it is likely that people with troublesome and potentially life threatening symptoms might come to you for advice and end up drinking green tea instead of obtaining medical diagnostics to diagnose a terminal condition that could have been successfully treated had they gotten actual medical advice in time.

You could ask the librarian for materials on practicing medicine without a license, misrepresentation, exerting undue influence, and insuring yourself against lawsuits.

I'm sorry, but this is "just my opinion".

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