CPSA vows to get tough with doctors flouting COVID-19 exemption rules

Alberta’s regulatory body for physicians came out of an emergency meeting on Monday night with a clear message for the province’s doctors: follow the profession’s guidelines for COVID-19 or face the risk of disciplinary action from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta. “Regulatory authorities have the right to take your licence away,” said college president Dr. Louis Francescutti. “Is this really the hill you want to die on?” While he declined to provide specifics, Dr. Francescutti said the college is now investigating physicians who may be non-compliant with the province's COVID-related standards. "I can't comment on ongoing investigations," he said. "But I will just say that if you're writing mask or (COVID) vaccine exemptions with no scientific basis, I'd be a little concerned if I were you." Read: Alberta introduces new rules, passport as COVID puts health system days from collapse The college called the emergency meeting over concerns that some Alberta doctors may have issued vaccination and mask exemptions to unqualified patients while others have been spreading misinformation on social media. Dr. Francescutti said while majority of the province’s roughly 11,000 physicians understand and comply with their professional obligations for dealing with COVID-19 issues and requests, a few “bad apples” need a strong reminder. The public, too, needs to hear loud and clear that they shouldn’t be asking their doctor for medically unnecessary exemptions or unproven treatments for COVID-19. “If a patient says I don’t believe in masks and I want a note that says I don’t have to wear a mask, that’s not a justifiable exemption and any physician that issues one is behaving unprofessionally,” said Dr. Francescutti. “As for these patients, we’re putting the public on notice that they shouldn’t be asking for these exemptions or demanding that their doctor give them Ivermectin. And if they complain to the college that their doctor won’t do this for them, we want them to know that the college is going to dismiss their complaint.” Read: Doctors frustrated with 'selfishness' of unvaccinated people, protesters Doctors who are spreading false information about COVID-19, vaccines and masks on social media are also on the radar of the CPSA. As one example, a CBC News report on Tuesday cited Dr. Rashad Chin, an Edmonton emergency room physician whose Twitter feed is, according to the CBC, filled with retweets that question COVID-19 lockdowns and the value of vaccines. The Twitter account was switched on Monday from public to protected, with access granted only to followers approved by Dr. Chin, reported the CBC. “There’s a very small number of doctors spreading misinformation on social media but they take up a lot of airtime and bandwidth—we need to shut it down,” said Dr. Francescutti. “You’re entitled to your opinion but when your opinion is based on hearsay and conspiracy theories and you’re trying to sway the public against protective health measures, that becomes not only a code of conduct issue but also an ethical issue.” Some of these doctors have already received a phone call from the college, he added, and those who haven’t should expect to hear from the CPSA. “Most of them will probably say, okay I can see your point and will take it down and cease and desist, but some will want to make a big thing out of it,” said Dr. Francescutti. “We want to emphasize that going on social media with wild theories is unprofessional and won’t be tolerated. Physicians are fed up with other physicians spreading mistruths and we agree, it’s unacceptable.” Read: Ivermectin—whether formulated for humans or horses—is not a treatment for COVID-19

CPSA vows to get tough with doctors flouting COVID-19 exemption rules

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