Comment on DOS-2026-0694-0008
anonymous anonymousOpposeAcademic
Summary: A pediatric gastroenterologist/hepatologist with decades of experience in academic institutions opposes the proposed medical examination requirements. The commenter argues that excluding individuals based on tattoos, obesity, or hypertension is irrational and not data-based, and suggests focusing instead on incurable infectious diseases.
I am submitting this comment from the perspective of having spent >4 decades working as a pediatric gastroenterologist/hepatologist in 5 academic institutions which served large immigrant populations. In this capacity i have been very favorably impressed by the immigrant populations and the attention paid to improving the health of their children. I have observed immigrant parents who have contributed greatly to our country's science and technology and who have motivated their children to do the same. Just recently I cared for a family of 3 from the Middle East - the father was a nurse who served in the US military and the two teen age girls both of whom were excellent students had carefully laid plans to be a cardiothoracic surgeon (the oldest) and a psychiatrist *the youngest.) I find that the proposed document is irrational - exclusion of people because of tattoos, obesity, and/or hyptertension is not data-based. Agree with other comments that the exhaustive questionnaires will not be cost-effective for physicians. Suggest revising the document to focus on infectious diseases that have no cure such as Ebola. Disease that do have known cures, such as HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and TB should not exclude applicants from the legal immigration process.