Canadian doctors, particularly those in British Columbia (BC), have been warned they could face disciplinary consequences for posting about COVID-19 and vaccines in a way that contradicts the government’s messaging.
Last Thursday, the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) and the College of Physician and Surgeons released a joint statement.
“Public statements from physicians that contradict public health orders and guidance are confusing and potentially harmful to patients,” college registrar Dr. Heidi Oetter said in the statement, obtained by Reclaim The Net here.
“Those who put the public at risk with misinformation may face an investigation by the college, and if warranted, regulatory action.”
The statement did not mention any doctors by name. However, a few doctors in BC have recently hit headlines for their opposition to masks and other measures, as well as vaccines for children.
Dr. Stephen Malthouse of BC has featured at multiple anti-mask rallies and has also faced calls for censorship, appearing in a video with another BC-based physician Dr. Bill Code, who claimed he had successfully treated COVID-19 with hydroxychloroquine and vitamins.
“We really need to have scientific debate about these topics rather than just having rules and regulations and attempts just to make doctors follow the policy alone,” Dr. Malthouse said. “If doctors have questions about it, I think that the college should really be in a position to discuss it with them.”
It is unclear whether such doctors will face any consequences, especially since the regulatory bodies do not make information about investigations public, unless the infraction is deemed severe.
