Almost four years since the pandemic began, two outspoken anti-vaxx doctors in Ontario face tough sanctions just issued by their governing body last – with Dr. Mark Trozzi losing his licence and Dr. Crystal Luchkiw suspended for six months and warned that she, too, could face revocation.
Trozzi, on sabbatical from his practice in Bancroft, was found guilty of professional misconduct in the fall by the Ontario Physicians and Surgeons Discipline Tribunal for “misleading, inflammatory speech that contributed to harm to the public during a public health emergency.”
The tribunal found the doctor promoted non-scientific and baseless conspiracy theories about COVID-19.
“The clearest examples of these are the registrant’s efforts, through extreme and inflammatory rhetoric, to convince the public that the pandemic was a hoax and that COVID-19 vaccines are dangerous,” the decision states.
“In his postings, he has described Canadian colleges of physicians and surgeons as ‘ring leaders in crimes against humanity’ and the ‘enforcement tools of the criminal COVID enterprise,’ stating they are ‘corrupted to the core, and on the short list of those who must be taken to court.’ He calls the College’s Registrar a criminal and demands that she be arrested.”
Your Midday Sun
Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond.
By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.
Article content
Advertisem*nt 3
Story continues below
This advertisem*nt has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
Recommended from Editorial
- MANDEL: Anti-vax doctors ordered to co-operate with college investigation
- MANDEL: Anti-vaxx doctors fight investigation into their issuing vaccine exemptions
- MANDEL: Court upholds Canada's record punitive damages against LTD insurer
Even after being found guilty of misconduct in November 2023, the tribunal found Trozzi continued to defy them by posting his conspiracy theories. So they concluded the doctor is “ungovernable” and deserved the most serious penalty: revocation of his licence to practise so his misinformation is no longer “cloaked with the appearance of authority.”
“We have no sign that the registrant shows a willingness to change,” the decision concludes. “The registrant is free to continue with his communications but cannot do so while holding the status of a physician.”
Advertisem*nt 4
Story continues below
This advertisem*nt has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
Trozzi was also ordered to pay about $95,000 in hearing costs. He’s vowed to appeal to the Divisional Court.
“I am proud to be one of the rare doctors who has absolutely zero COVID blood on my hands,” the renegade doc wrote on X. ” We will now take the CPSO to court, because this decision was from a farcical kangaroo make-believe court of their own.”
Luchkiw, another ardent opponent of COVID restrictions, is being disciplined for not cooperating with two investigations by the College of Physicians and Surgeons in November and December 2021, with one stemming from a Barrie hospital’s suspicions that she’d given a vaccine exemption to an immunocompromised patient who was at high risk for complications from COVID.
RECOMMENDED VIDEO
Advertisem*nt 5
Story continues below
This advertisem*nt has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
We apologize, but this video has failed to load.
Try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.
For more than two years, she’s refused the regulator’s request to provide a list of patients and complete medical records for those she issued vaccine and mask exemptions and prescribed ivermectin or hydroxychloroquine.
The Barrie family and palliative care doctor has been suspended since March 2022 for what she called on her blog, an “illegitimate investigation witch hunt against me.”
She’s insisted the college forged ahead with its attack on her without any evidence of misconduct.
“They suspended my licence over a year ago leaving all of my patients orphaned in a shortage crisis. This is inexcusable,” she wrote in May 2023.
While she’s argued all along that the regulatory body doesn’t have the authority to investigate exemptions, all her court challenges have been unsuccessful. In July 2023, the tribunal found her guilty of misconduct for not cooperating with her regulator.
Advertisem*nt 6
Story continues below
This advertisem*nt has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
As for penalty, the college wanted her licence revoked.
Representing herself, Luchkiew filed letters describing her as a “compassionate and dedicated” doctor and pleaded with them to let her get back to work.
Instead, the tribunal imposed the six-month suspension but warned that if she still fails to cooperate, they could strip her licence.
“Such conduct would demonstrate that she is unwilling to accept the obligations accompanying the privilege of being a member of a self-regulating health profession.”
She may not care. Luchkiw has apparently launched a private, members-only wellness centre.
mmandel@postmedia.com
Article content
Comments
You must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments.
Create an AccountSign in
Join the Conversation
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.
Trending
- Bill Belichick, 72, reportedly dating ex-cheerleader, 24
- Teammate of trans swimmer Lia Thomas demands apology for being forced to change in same room
- LILLEY: Why are more people unemployed in Toronto than all of Quebec?
- Gisele Bundchen splits with boyfriend over ‘stress’ from Tom Brady roast
- Why Canada Basketball finally will have to cut NBA players for Olympics
Read Next
Latest National Stories
This Week in Flyers
You've reached the 20 article limit.
You can manage saved articles in your account.
Subscribe
and save up to 100 articles!
Looks like you've reached your saved article limit!
You can manage your saved articles in your account and clicking the X located at the bottom right of the article.
