College says it has been asking Ontario government for help since 2019 to address doctor complaints
Global News
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario is clashing with the government over who is responsible for doctors sharing unverified medical information on COVID-19 vaccines.
The regulatory body for Ontario’s doctors says it has been asking for legislative changes since 2019 to address complaints, as the authority and province clash over the spread of disinformation about COVID-19 vaccines.
The accusation comes as pressure mounts on regulatory Colleges to properly investigate physicians sharing unproven medical information about vaccine side effects and issuing false medical exemptions, after the situation was brought to light in a Global News investigation.
Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott last week labelled the reports “extremely concerning” and publicly called on the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) to crack down on its members, announcing she would be sending them a letter “urging them to do everything that is possible to put an end to this behaviour.”
But the CPSO argues the onus is on the provincial government to adjust legislation to allow them to properly deal with complaints.
“Since 2019 — and every year since — the CPSO sought the support of government for greater discretion to investigate complaints, as well as process improvements to streamline the handling of complaints,” CPSO Registrar and CEO Nancy Whitmore wrote in a letter of reply to Elliott, obtained by Global News, on Friday.
“These requested improvements require government support in the form of legislative and/or regulatory changes.”
Whitmore’s letter was sent the same day Elliott wrote to the CPSO asking to “better understand what steps the College is taking” to address the conduct of the doctors in question, as well as “what it is doing to ensure physicians understand their roles, responsibilities and accountabilities.”
“I would also like to know what actions the College will be taking to ensure that this type of behaviour ceases so that the public can continue to have confidence that physicians are providing them with the best possible care at this unprecedented time,” Elliott wrote.
