Doctor accused of faking Covid-19 vaccine jabs loses bid to change suspension order again
Source: Straits Times
Article Date: 12 Jul 2024
Author: Salma Khalik
Singapore Medical Council says allegations raise concerns about his integrity, honesty as a medical professional.
For the seventh time, the Singapore Medical Council’s (SMC) Interim Orders Committee (IOC) has upheld an interim suspension order on a doctor accused of giving patients fake Covid-19 vaccinations.
In its latest review in July, the IOC said nothing had occurred to warrant any change to Jipson Quah’s suspension.
Quah told The Straits Times: “I shall also be contesting this suspension once again in July 2024 at the next available hearing, every three months.”
He is facing more than a dozen criminal charges over fraud and false representation. He had allegedly given patients saline solution in place of Covid-19 vaccinations, falsified antigen rapid test results, and uploaded pre-event testing results that did not comply with statutes during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Until the disciplinary proceedings against him are concluded, the SMC had imposed an 18-month interim suspension to prevent him from practising medicine. This took effect on March 23, 2022.
As the case against Quah is still pending, the SMC applied to the High Court in June 2023 to extend the suspension by an additional 12 months. Although Quah contested this, the court granted the application for the suspension to continue till Sept 22, 2024, or until the proceedings against him are concluded, whichever is earlier.
Before the latest July review, the interim suspension order had been reviewed six times: in September and December 2022, in March, June and November 2023, and in February 2024. All reviews found no reason to remove or amend the order.
The SMC argued that the allegations against Quah are serious and involve him profiting financially from the Covid-19 pandemic, flagrantly abusing the privileges given to him as a doctor and deceiving the Ministry of Health.
It said these “raise concerns about Dr Quah’s integrity and honesty as a medical professional and relate directly to the performance of his duties as a doctor in a clinical setting, and thereby give rise to a substantial risk of harm to his patients and to members of the public”.
Quah is linked to anti-vaccine group Healing the Divide.
In its latest decision on July 11, the IOC, comprising three doctors and a legal assessor, said Quah’s submission for the fifth to seventh reviews were largely similar to his submissions to the High Court.
In granting the application to extend the period of suspension by 12 months, the High Court had said that the allegations against Quah were grave, and concern not only patient and public safety, but also his integrity and honesty as a professional.
Quah had suggested that the suspension be amended to prevent him from dealing with any Covid-19-related procedures, and to allow him to practise under supervision.
He argued that the suspension has had a punitive effect on him, as he has lost the ability to earn a monthly income in the region of $39,000.
The IOC questioned how he had arrived at this figure. It added: “In any event, we are of the view that Dr Quah’s claim of potential financial losses would not outweigh the public interest in maintaining the interim suspension order against him.”
Quah also claimed to suffer from major depressive disorder “triggered” by the continued extensions of the interim suspension orders.
The IOC said that apart from a bare statement, there is no evidence that he has this disorder, or that there is a direct causative link between the suspension and his mental condition.
It added: “If Dr Quah is indeed mentally unwell, it may instead potentially indicate that the maintenance of the interim suspension order is necessary for the protection of members of the public or is otherwise in the public interest (though the IOC need not make any specific finding on this issue).”
It also dismissed his contention that maintenance of the interim suspension order creates a public perception of guilt, which would prejudice the criminal proceedings against him. It pointed out that the IOC’s task is not a fact-finding one.
Interim suspension orders are not a punishment for the doctor, but are conditions imposed to safeguard the public against potential harm until the case against the doctor is resolved.
In upholding the suspension, the IOC said: “We are of the view that the public interest outweighs Dr Quah’s individual interests and find that it is necessary for the protection of the public and/or in the public interest that the interim suspension order remains in place.”
Source: Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction.
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