An Ottawa surgeon has been ordered to take a remedial course on ethics and boundaries after sharing with several patients his controversial opinions about the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.
The complaints panel heard evidence Matyas cast doubt on the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines, promoted the use of ivermectin, an anti-parasitic drug, and suggested that surgical masks were ineffective at preventing the disease’s transmission.
Matyas appealed that decision to the Health Professions Appeal and Review Board, arguing the college had no authority to investigate and punish him for expressing scientific opinions that challenged the “official narrative” on COVID-19.
According to the review board decision in the case, the college received complaints about Matyas from two patients, including a Carleton University microbiology professor. 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, money-making venture for pharmaceutical companies.
Saying that ivermectin is an effective treatment for COVID-19 is not a “scientific opinion”, it’s a lie. We have enough good data at this point to know that. Him telling his patients that they ought to do their research is rich.
I believe there was some evidence that it might help people from countries where parasitic infections are more common. Which makes sense.
But people in Canada and the US? Waste of time. I really want to know why it was pushed so hard by the right - who was making money?
There are plenty of people in the Northern Hemisphere with parasite infections, the issue is it doesn’t treat Covid, it treats worms.