30-year Fight Proves Alternative Medicine Right

Unprecedented scandals in Ontario swirling around the College of Physicians and Surgeons are likely to lead to its natural and eventual elimination. Since the colleges in other provinces behave in a similar manner, the end of the Ontario College could lead to similar results elsewhere.

I have been a critic of the ordinary allopathic medical profession and its organizations for more than 30 years, so I am helping my patients with some of the best "remedies" legal ones. I have set up an organization called Patient Advocacy for You (PAY), which helps people with formal complaints, appeals, medical malpractice suits, protests, boycotts and media exposure.

In conjunction with thousands of concerned citizens, I have been able to help precipitate events such as the recent hard-hitting, front-page investigative series in the Toronto Star, which enumerates the College of Physicians' mistreatment of hundreds of patients. The newspaper series, which ran from May 5 to 7, 2001 with followups, revealed heart-wrenching tragedies. CTV's W5 show also produced an excellent item. The Globe and Mail ran some recent articles, including one on June 25, 2001, which quoted me and mentioned PAY.

Just as media exposure has previously resulted in significant societal change, the same is occurring in Ontario. There are now two class-action lawsuits against the calamitous "College of Fee-sicians." The College has recently fired Dr John Bonn, the registrar. The sudden disappearance from council of past-president Dr Chandar Rao is also suspicious.

Diligent and hardworking Toronto Star reporters used the words "secretive," "frustrating," "dangerous," "narrow-minded" and "a cozy club." Faithful Star readers responded with "despicable," "a white coat wall" and "disgusting." These are not the words of Daffy Duck, but of frustrated citizens to describe Rocco Gerace, MD, and his Ontario College.

A few months ago, the alternative medicine bill I initiated, championed and convinced my MPP, Monte Kwinter, to bring forward became law (The Medicine Amendment Act, 2000). It is squarely aimed at limiting the unreasonable powers of the College. On the heels of this, Ontario Minister of Health Tony Clement has promised further legislation to curtail the College in the wake of the two embarrassing multi-million dollar class- action lawsuits. The two separate lawsuits are against the College for protecting Dr Errol Wai-Ping and Dr Richard Neale, who are accused of incompetence that resulted in the deaths of mothers and infants.

Unless more is done, people can be sure that the College will continue to ignore 99 percent of patient complaints. Members of the organization will continue to perform questionable sales practices-like car salesmen. Unnecessary surgery is rampant. More and more patients have questioned the necessity of proposed drugs and surgery to avoid a tragedy like those elucidated in the Star series. They have turned to holistic doctors whom the College has attacked in an attempt to try to prevent this.

The College has been steeped in scandals for years over savage unprincipled attacks on alternative medical doctors, negative government reports and a losing battle against Bill 2. It is unlikely that the College will recover. It is only inevitable that a citizens' body will replace it since the public does not feel the College deserves another chance.

This is our opportunity for justice-to get rid of the College once and for all and to prosecute its members. This is the same College that has tried to maintain a monopoly by attacking alternative medical doctors and their patients. Those who had any doubt about the sinister nature of the College and its oppressive tactics have had their doubts removed.

I encourage every alive reader to write as many letters as you can.

Contact your MPP. Updated info in Ontario is available through 416-326-1234 and electionsontario.on.ca. Tell your MPP that you want amends made to the doctors who have been attacked by the College for offering alternatives to "standard" medical practices. Tell your MPP that you also want the Ministry of Health to investigate and prosecute College members and staff for turning a blind eye to 99 per cent of legitimate patient complaints.

In other provinces, contact your federal MP and Allan Rock, federal minister of health, at 416-231-2301. Tell him that you want federal transfer payments withheld until the above actions are completed.