Harvard Study Advises NFL and Team Doctors Break Ties

iStock/Thinkstock(CAMBRIDGE, Mass.) — A Harvard Law School report published Thursday after a two-year study by The Petrie-Flom Center at Harvard Law School says medical personnel caring for NFL players should no longer report to team management or coaches.

The recommendation comes in a 493-page report into the “various stakeholders who influence, or could influence, the health of NFL players.”

“The intersection of club doctors’ dual obligations creates significant legal and ethical quandaries that can threaten player health,” according to the report.

The findings advise doctors and trainers not to directly communicate with teams about player health, but rather give a written “Player Health Report,” which includes their condition, recommended level of participation and an estimated time before they are back to full game shape.
 
The report proposes 76 recommendations, including a neutral committee with representation from the NFL and NFL Players Association choosing doctors who treat players.

Additional reports are scheduled to be released regarding other legal and ethical issues about NFL players’ health.

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