Should doctors’ freedom of speech extend to dissenting ideas about COVID-19?

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An Ottawa surgeon has been ordered to take a remedial course on ethics and boundaries after sharing his controversial views on COVID-19 prevention and treatment with several patients.

Head and neck surgeon Dr. Miklos Matyas recently lost his appeal of the order issued by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario grievance committee.

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Matyas argued that the case goes to the heart of the free speech rights of doctors with dissenting medical opinions.

The complaints panel heard evidence that Matyas cast doubt on the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines, promoted the use of ivermectin, an anti-parasitic drug, and suggested that surgical masks were ineffective in preventing transmission of the disease.

The committee ordered Matyas to appear before the panel to receive a verbal warning about his communication with patients and colleagues.

A date for that appearance has not yet been set.

“The committee was concerned about the potential impact of the respondent’s (Matyas) conduct on patient safety and the public interest,” the panel said in its February 2023 decision. “In the committee’s view, his statements were contrary to information and directives provided by public health agencies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Matyas appealed that decision to the Health Professions Review and Appeal Board, arguing that the university did not have the authority to investigate and punish him for expressing scientific opinions that challenged the “official narrative” about COVID-19.

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If the committee has that power, he said, it should reveal who authored the official narrative and declare which scientific opinions cannot be questioned.

“Protection of the public is possible by protecting the autonomy of doctors and the free expression of their opinions and honest professional interpretations of scientific data,” Matyas argued, adding:

“Promoting censorship of dissenting medical experts in a rapidly evolving public health crisis is not in the public interest.”

Matyas told the review board that any suggestion that he offered inappropriate information about COVID-19 was based on the belief that public health officials were always right.

Canada’s public health officials have been criticized for being They were slow to admit that the SARS-CoV-2 virus was transmitted through the air. and for initially discourage the use of masks among healthy members of the public.

Maytas’ arguments, however, were rejected earlier this month by the review board, which said the university was legally required to investigate patient complaints and act when a doctor’s conduct was unprofessional.

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In its decision, the review board said that while doctors had a Charter-protected right to free speech, it was reasonably restricted because they occupied a unique position of public trust. Because of that status, the board said, doctors must ensure that “scientific claims made to patients are based on available verifiable evidence.”

“The board finds the committee’s conclusion regarding the inappropriateness of the applicant’s comments regarding COVID-19 vaccines and treatment reasonable,” the review panel wrote.

“The committee’s conclusion is based on public health information contained in the record, including that from the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.”

The board upheld the committee’s order that Matyas enroll in an ethics remedial course and appear before the panel to be reprimanded.

Matyas did not respond to email or phone messages seeking comment for this story.

In October 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Matyas had his hospital privileges temporarily suspended at CHEO and Queensway Carleton Hospital due to non-compliance with their policies.

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Queensway Carleton said Matyas did not currently have privileges at that hospital, while CHEO declined to disclose the doctor’s status.

According to the case review board’s decision, the university received complaints about Matyas from two patients, including a microbiology professor at Carleton University. The professor, an infectious disease specialist, said Matyas spread “unsolicited propaganda” about COVID-19 vaccines during an appointment in September 2021 and described them as a useless and lucrative venture for pharmaceutical companies.

The professor said Matyas strongly advocated the use of ivermectin and directed him to the university’s website. Frontline COVID-19 Critical Care Alliancea group of doctors who defend ivermectin.

Ivermectin, a drug used in humans to treat infections caused by parasitic worms and lice, has been promoted as a treatment for COVID-19 despite repeated calls. fda warnings that there is no evidence to support its use against respiratory disease.

Matyas told the university that he engaged the university professor in a discussion about emerging COVID-19 data because he was a man of science. He denied having “pressured” the professor to purchase ivermectin.

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“He probably experienced cognitive dissonance when I presented him with some of the updated data on the pandemic and handling of COVID-19,” Matyas wrote. “Cognitive dissonance can arise when people have a core belief that is very strong… The respondent (patient) is likely to strongly believe that COVID vaccines are the only possible savior of humanity in this pandemic.”

Matyas took issue with the professor’s suggestion that he was spreading misinformation: “Everything I cited to you is published facts and I encourage you to develop a little scientific curiosity and humility about what you think you know in the field of medical science.”

A second complaint was made about Matyas following a patient’s visit to his office in July 2022. According to the woman, once she put on a mask to leave the office, Matyas reminded her that the mask mandate had been lifted. mask and that surgical masks do not stop the transmission of COVID-19.

Matyas described the complaint as a “malicious accusation” and said he was simply trying to help the woman wear the masks properly.

The college reviewed the two complaints along with information from the two hospitals where Matyas’ privileges had been suspended.

Andrew Duffy is a National Newspaper Award-winning reporter and long-form writer living in Ottawa. To support his work, including exclusive subscriber-only content, sign up here: ottawacitizen.com/subscribe

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