Pony-“rabonim are deciding what’s considered medically safe? Are they disregarding medical advice?”
Yes they are deciding what’s medically safe based on the medical input of the experts within the framework of halacha. It surprises me (saddens me) how many posters don’t seem to get that.
Picture a severely handicapped individual in need of dental work. The dentist will tell his mom how urgent it is (most proffessionals see their area of expertise as predominant) and the mom will consult the neurologist to determine the risks of the anesthesia, and then with all this information in hand, shevwill determine whether or not to proceed. Does she think she knows more than the dentist? No. But the dentist doesn’t have the whole picture.
Medical professionals can explain the risks and requirements, but it takes someone who is an expert in halacha to determine how we act on it.
Rabbi tatz has an excellent book that addresses this process.