A Doctors' Group on the Fringe

Senate candidate Rand Paul belongs to an organization with the professional-sounding name "Association of American Physicians and Surgeons," a doctors' group that has made headlines lately by organizing protests against the new health insurance reform law. AAPS urges members to appear at these rallies wearing their white coats. But AAPS isn't your average professional group; its members hold views far outside the medical mainstream. AAPS' Statement of Principles maintains that it is "evil" and "immoral" to participate in Medicare and Social Security. The group argues that President Obama uses a covert form of hypnosis called "neurolinguistic programming" to control his audiences and coerce voters. AAPS denies the link between HIV and AIDS and opposes mandatory vaccinations. The group has also fought expanded health care coverage for children. Philip Morris considered the group a friendly third party ally who would to generate press releases favorable to tobacco issues. AAPS has filed a lawsuit to block the mandate in the new health reform law that every citizen purchase health insurance.