So you say it's ok to lie on medical because you do not want to risk a doctor saying no diving for you due to medical condition. Doing so not only puts your life in danger but also anyone else who is in the water with you who may try to save your sorry ass. Very selfish on your part. I had a 20 something student a few years ago who did exactly what you say, did not check off condition on medical form, which is not a liability release, during training dive he went into convulsions during an ascent. Made him buoyant, dropped weights, ventilated him, towed him 150 yards to boat put him on oxygen. He survived and then when I refused to certify him he had the nerve to ask for a refund. Told him to go away as if I was not attentive to him he would be dead. Convulsions caused by illegal drug use, cocaine, night before dive with him knowing full well that he has these convulsions hours after using drug from previous experiences. I know this is true due to EMS tech informed me of what student told attending ER Doctor. So Caruso, how can you sensibly say to lie on medical ?
This is where it is not black and white and all scenarios are not created equal.
You treat everyone who may lie on the form as lying about something risky, as hiding a drug habit, as being an uncontrolled epileptic.
The truth is, many people have
minor conditions that are well-controlled, ones they have discussed in depth with their medical professionals and just don't mention it on the liability form they fill out at the dive shop. Expecting me to go to the doctor before every dive so they can sign a new piece of paper is honestly silly. Having an older letter that I resubmit every time is not going to be up date and the dive shop would likely refuse because of that. That guy was irresponsible and shouldn't have been diving anyway, form or no form.
If there was a way to honestly put down information, accept responsibility for any conditions/medications, then discuss the implications of those things, I would love it. When I just circle yes to syncope, that is incredibly alarming to people I would imagine. When I explain I have syncope that has been evaluated by multiple cardiologists and other specialists and only occurs in a limited set of circumstances that I can prevent prior to diving
and even if I started having symptoms underwater because everything else failed, that I have more than enough time to complete a safe ascent before syncope actually occurs, no one is concerned any longer about syncope.
It's like asking for a doctor's release by a bar before they will serve if you check 'yes' to any of the screening questions. Now, I happened to have been in liver failure almost 6 years ago. It was because of a reaction to green tea extract, I was very ill, almost died, then I fully recovered. I wasn't allowed to drink or eat sushi or take tylenol for a year post incident, but now I am allowed to drink as much as I wanted, if I choose. I would lie on that form too, because while technically I did have liver failure, it had nothing to do with alcohol, I have completely recovered and have been permitted to drink if I want. It is in my medical history, but as long as you aren't spiking my drinks with green tea extract, I'll be fine. (and I do liberally share that I have a life threatening reaction to green tea).
Though now that I think about it, I was diabetic for 3 months while they killed my immune system with steroids to save my liver. I also do not check the box about ever having diabetes. I was diabetic for 3 months almost 6 years ago, induced by medication. I am not currently diabetic. But have I "ever been" diabetic? ehhh. well, technically, but not really.
I'm trying to see how this plays out in different scenarios.
1. Scenario 1: You're in a class and lie on the form. But following
@SapphireMind 's advice you notify who? Your buddy, the trainee? Your instructor, who is responsible for you? I'm thinking you really owe it to the instructor. Now the instructor is in the position of either dropping you from the class or violating standards themselves. And that's legitimate how? (Yes, I suspect some instructors would nudge and wink and say OK. Shoot, most might just repeat the language "if you answer yes to any question you need a doc's OK." They might even shrug and say "I'm not a doc, I shouldn't be hearing about your medical history.")
2. Scenario 2: You're on a dive boat and just been assigned to me as my instabuddy and new BFF. You mention to me that you may have an event underwater. I then have to evaluate whether I have any desire to be your buddy. My presumption when I signed up and paid for the dive was that I'd be assigned a diver that didn't lie on forms. I surely don't want you screwing up the dive I paid for because you have a medical issue that should have prevented you from diving in the first place. (On the other hand, I'd have nothing but sympathy if something unexpected happened to you.)
If you want to be on a high school swim team, you need a doc to sign a form. To dive under academic auspices (i.e., in a university setting or doing other scientific research) in the US (and I suspect elsewhere) you have to get an annual physical. It's just not that onerous a requirement.
scenario 1: I notify pretty much everyone diving with me. I didn't sign the liability release with the instructor, I signed it with the dive shop to rent my equipment. My instructor knows my pertinent medical history and I put it in my buddy information on the ssi app, just in case and talk to people - I would expect if I were to have an incident unrelated to those medical concerns, that they would still be better off knowing my drug allergies and medications I am taking. I could hit my head, lose consciousness on the boat. I could have some other illness or accident occur that has nothing to do with my medical history that could cause a loss of consciousness, and it would be good to have more info to share in case of needing to alert authorities.
scenario two: you are assuming that the medical condition that is not being disclosed would actually prevent someone from diving. Not that it is a matter of the hassles of paperwork and they have been medically cleared to dive. That's where the big difference in perception is coming from. You assume that all of those things that might be checked "yes" would actually prevent you from diving.
Being on an antidepressant for 20+ years does not increase my risks of having an underwater event. Arguably, birth control is more of a risk because of the likelihood of flying prior to diving and the increased risk of blood clots that comes with birth control. Arguably, I am far more observant of my health than many because of my additional conditions and I have a very high desire to not die, which means I don't dive if I am concerned about any aspect of my health.
Your analogy with the swim team is not accurate. It would be like asking the swimmer to have a new doctor's note every time they get into the pool. If it was a one-time sign off that could be held in record somewhere, that's one thing, but it isn't. And even that does not accomplish the goal - it's just paperwork. I lie on the paperwork because if I jumped through those hoops you wanted, I would still be allowed to dive, I just would be paying more money for it every time because of needing a not medically necessary (ie, pay out of pocket) physical exam and then potentially having to take time out of work so I could go to the doctor, again every time I dive.
What would be far more safe is an honest discussion with people you are diving with about your strengths and weaknesses as a diver and any medical condition that is considered higher risk and discuss openly about whether they feel the steps taken to mitigate that condition or the circumstances of that condition are amenable to those involved.
I agree that setting up a system that encourages people to have to hide is not the best choice. But the reason
most people lie on the form is not because they have a condition that precludes them from diving and they don't want to admit to it, it's because they have a condition that does
not preclude them from diving, does not present additional risks to others and just forgot to bring paperwork or don't have up to date paperwork.
My drug-induced three months of diabetes years ago is not the same as a brittle type one diabetic who has frequent hypoglycemic episodes that cause loss of consciousness.
My tendency to faint when certain other physical problems are present and after other physical warning symptoms is not the same as someone who is an uncontrolled epileptic. Or someone who faints for no discernible reason with no warning.
It is not black and white.
