A former Halifax-based chiropractor has been ordered to pay her regulator $100,000 as part of a settlement agreement on charges of professional misconduct related to her sharing anti-vaccination views online.
In a decision released publicly Thursday, a hearing committee of the Nova Scotia College of Chiropractors took into consideration Dena Churchill’s “dire financial circumstances” and gave her 10 years to pay the money. But it also said if she has not paid at least $30,000 by Jan. 2, 2022, the full amount becomes due immediately.
“Dr. Churchill’s conduct brought the profession of chiropractic into disrepute,” the hearing committee writes in its decision.
“Dr. Churchill has shown no remorse. There is genuine concern that she is ungovernable.”
The college launched an investigation a year ago after its registrar filed a complaint regarding Churchill’s extensive posts on social media about topics outside her scope of practice, most notably posts about vaccines that made disproved claims.
The guideline from the national chiropractic association, which is observed by the Nova Scotia college, is for chiropractors not to discuss vaccines in any capacity.
Licence surrendered in January
In January, Churchill surrendered her licence and entered into a settlement agreement with the college, admitting she was “professionally incompetent as a result of incompetence arising out of mental incapacity.”
Churchill had been scheduled for a hearing in late May on 15 allegations of professional misconduct and one count of conduct unbecoming a chiropractor.
However, the hearing was cancelled earlier that month when Churchill entered into a settlement agreement with the college, admitting to the charges.
In that decision, which was also released publicly Thursday, it is noted Churchill did not comply with multiple requests from her registrar to remove offending posts from a variety of social media accounts.
‘This is an egregious matter’
A separate hearing was required after the two sides could not agree on costs, with the college originally seeking the full amount related to the investigation and administrative process to that point, which was $178,831.34. The college later reduced its claim to $100,000.
The committee disagreed with Churchill’s assessment that the finding of professional misconduct was “not an egregious breach” and awarded the college the full amount it was seeking.
“This is an egregious matter. Dr. Churchill admitted she is guilty of professional misconduct. Dr. Churchill was responsible for social media posts outside her scope of practice which were harmful to the public.”
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What is weird is that it says she had her Medical license taken away…That would give her authority to speak on such topics.
In Canada does a bear get fined when he attacks a same sex couple?
Parallels the Spanish Inquisition.
[…] has also censored legitimate scientific inquiry and debate regarding vaccine safety. Also in July, a Canadian chiropractor was fined $100,000 for criticizing vaccines on social […]
Basically, as I see it, this chiropractor thought she lives in free country. Unfortunately, she had to learn the lesson very hard way. Canada is becoming quite a totalitarian state very quickly. In some ways worse than Soviet Union was because here, in Canada, you never know who will sell you to the authorities. In Soviet Union it was clear which type of people to avoid, and the repression was so ever present, that people were naturally careful. In Canada any former friend may decide to do “right” thing and report you for having your own opinion that differs from… Read more »