NPR

'Goldwater Rule' Still In Place Barring Many Psychiatrists From Commenting On Trump

Social media lit up on Tuesday with users believing that psychiatrists were now free to offer armchair diagnoses about President Trump. There has been no change to the code of ethics.

Contrary to what you may have seen on social media, the so-called "Goldwater Rule," a code of ethics prohibiting most psychiatrists from giving opinions about the mental state of anyone they have not evaluated, remains in effect.

The rule reemerged in headlines Tuesday in the form of an article on the health news web site, Stat News.

The article said that The American Psychoanalytic Association told social media, with some twitter users interpreting it to mean "The Goldwater Rule" was being lifted and mental health professionals could have at President Trump's mental health.

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