The Disciplinary Board of the College of Physicians declared the owner of Lacroix Medical Clinics, Dr.r Marc Lacroix, guilty of two ethical faults, believing that he had gone “too far” by criticizing the WHO and Quebec Public Health, thus damaging the reputation of the medical profession.
• Read also: The Dr Lacroix lacked nuance, according to the complainant
The owner and founder of private Lacroix medical clinics, Dr.r Marc Lacroix, has been facing an ethics complaint since the summer of 2020 for a series of interviews given to former CHOI Radio X host Jeff Fillion as well as for multiple Facebook posts against health measures. It was a private complainant, Olivier Bolduc, who will be a candidate for Québec solidaire in Jean-Talon in the next election, who filed this complaint.
After lengthy hearings, the Dr Lacroix was found guilty of ethical misconduct on two of the seven counts of the complaint. One of the three members of the Disciplinary Board, Dr.r Petru-Lucian Comanita, however, displayed his dissent and allegedly acquitted Dr Lacroix, finding that the respondent had exercised his right to freedom of expression.
make a good show
However, this is not the opinion of the two other members of the council, who judge severely the remarks made by Dr.r Lacroix in an interview with CHOI on May 8, 2020. The Dr Lacroix had notably said “stop listening to the WHO”, adding: “We see the Dr Arruda with his beautiful WHO pin… I think that the WHO, from the start, was not credible in this crisis, hid information from the whole world.
This “wholehearted attack on the WHO” is not worthy of the behavior of a doctor, slices the advice, considering that the Dr Lacroix “went too far”. “We quickly understand that the Dr Lacroix is there to challenge the measures of the Public Health Department and make a good show with the host”, is it written.
The council goes on to say that it could not act as if it was having a discussion “between friends” with the host who was also its spokesperson. “The Dr Lacroix was more concerned with adopting a position that would make him popular […] than to be concerned about the consequences of COVID-19”, it is written.
“Public figure”
The Dr Lacroix also breached his ethical obligations by making multiple publications on his Facebook page, writing in particular “buffoon” above a photo of Dr.r Horacio Arruda, “pure madness” or “the mask does not protect”.
The Council lists some fifty publications which, by tone and frequency, “lack elegance, class and dignity”. The Dr Lacroix was not exempt from his ethical obligations, even if he published on a personal Facebook page.
The Council recalls throughout its decision that the Dr Lacroix had the right to express his opinion, but that he should have been more careful and exercised more restraint, especially since he was not an expert in the field of public health. His remarks therefore lacked professionalism and seriousness, and reached a “degree of seriousness such” that they constitute an ethical fault, concludes the president, Ms.e Marie-Josee Corriveau.
The Dr Lacroix will have to appear at a hearing on sanction in order to know the disciplinary penalty which will be imposed on him for the two ethical faults of which he was found guilty.
D’s reactionr The cross
The Dr Lacroix released a statement Tuesday afternoon responding to the ruling against him. He indicates that his attorneys will analyze the decision for the future, recalling that he was acquitted of five of the seven counts of the complaint in addition to asserting the dissent of one of the members on the final decision.