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A doctor who spread conspiracy theories about COVID-19 vaccination, including untrue claims that the vaccine had resulted in a surge of stillbirths at North Vancouver’s Lions Gate Hospital, will face a disciplinary hearing before the B.C. College of Physicians and Surgeons.
The college issued a citation on Thursday (Sept. 29) for Dr. Daniel Yoshio Nagase, a family doctor who was formerly registered with the college.
A disciplinary panel will investigate allegations that while still registered on Dec. 9, 2021, Nagase contravened the Canadian Medical Association’s code of ethics and professionalism by making “misleading, incorrect, or inflammatory statements about vaccinations and treatments for COVID-19.”
Among the conduct being investigated is Nagase’s claim that Ivermectin “is a safe and effective treatment for COVID-19” and public comments that “COVID-19 vaccinations are dangerous.”
Those allegations are connected to comments made by Nagase at a political rally at the B.C. Legislature that also involved effigies of politicians being hung by nooses around their necks.
A month earlier, Nagase had made a speech at a small anti-vax rally outside the North Vancouver RCMP detachment, claiming there had been 13 stillbirths in 24 hours at Lions Gate Hospital, and that COVID-19 vaccines given to pregnant mothers were to blame.
The speech – which was filmed and circulated by conspiracy theorists on social media – prompted Vancouver Coastal Health to publicly set the record straight, stating, “There is no truth to this claim.”
According to Vancouver Coastal Health, there was “no notable change to the incidence of stillbirths in the VCH region throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.”
VCH added at the time that, “This type of disinformation adds unnecessary stress to expecting parents who have received a COVID-19 vaccine,” as well as to health-care staff who must reassure their patients.
A second retired doctor, Mel Bruchet, also spoke at the North Vancouver anti-vaccine rally in November, calling COVID-19 “a hoax.”
Bruchet had previously resigned his medical licence.
VCH stated at the time that neither Nagase nor Bruchet had hospital privileges at Lions Gate Hospital or any other hospital in the Lower Mainland.
With files from Cameron Thompson, Vancouver Is Awesome
