Covid-19: Zero tolerance for anti-vaccination doctors from Medical Council - a podcast by RNZ

The Chair of the Medical Council says it has a zero tolerance for anti-vaccination messages.
In Northland, where the positive case of Covid-19 has just been confirmed, the DHB has confirmed two general practice clinics in the region don't support vaccination.
Dr Curtis Walker told Morning Report the Medical Council has received 23 notifications about doctors spreading vaccine misinformation, and the council has clear expectations about what is required from doctors.
"Our standard around this is that any advice provided around vaccination has to be evidence based and expert informed.
"The medical evidence is that the vaccination is safe, effective, and overwhelmingly supported by the health evidence and certainly the best way to protect their wh?nau and communities from this pandemic. So that is the evidence-based advice that we expect doctors to give."
Dr Walker said investigations into complaints could take around six months, but measures could be taken in the interim.
"If we see that there's harm being done by a doctor's conduct or practice or misinformation in these cases, we will institute measures such as requesting or requiring the doctor to cease doing what it is that they're doing.
"That can include actually suspending a doctor while the investigations take place so that the public is protected as we work our way through the cases."
The Health and Disability Commissioner has also received complaints about seven doctors, and says it is working on the cases with the Medical Council and other professional bodies.

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