A physician has argued that the Goldwater rule, which prohibits psychiatrists from diagnosing public figures without personal examination, should not prevent responsible discussion of observable behaviour. Writing in a letter, Dr Robert Krasner, a physician with decades of experience in health policy, said the debate over the rule had intensified following President Trump’s recent speech in Pennsylvania.
Dr Krasner said there was a vital distinction between prohibited armchair diagnosis and legitimate observation. He noted that Dr Allen Dyer, a psychiatrist who helped develop the original rule, clarified in October 2024 that it was never intended as an absolute gag order.
“It does not preclude responsible discussion of observable public behaviours, particularly when a public figure voluntarily displays these patterns on a national stage,” Dr Krasner wrote. He argued that when behaviour bearing on national welfare is publicly exhibited and extensively documented, discussing it within ethical boundaries is a contribution to the nation’s understanding.
