Can I get (or give) medical advice, legal advice, religious or emotional counseling, etc?
A. In general, the answer is no. As to specific medical or legal advice, even if you were a professional it is probably unethical to give that type of advice to a person whom you haven’t even met. Inasmuch as most of us are not professionals, it becomes even more important to avoid giving that type of advice. It is okay to discuss how you made out with a certain medication or how you made out with a certain legal situation. We have had problems in the past with information being posted on list that has been incorrect. NO legal, medical or similar information should be relied on without consulting a local professional to confirm its accuracy. If you’re in doubt as to whether something you read, or something you want to say, is advice or not, we use the rule of thumb that if it’s written in “you” language (eg. “you should do/say/find out X”), it might be advice, whereas if it’s written in “I” language (eg. “I found that when I did X I felt Y”) it’s probably personal experience.
Related Questions
- Can someone offer me advice about medical treatments involving ethical principles, religious beliefs or professional guidelines?
- Can I get (or give) medical advice, legal advice, religious or emotional counselling, etc?
- Can I get (or give) medical advice, legal advice, religious or emotional counseling, etc?
