The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba (CPSM) has censured Dr. Wilhelmus Grobler for two incidents under his care, the first involved the use of Ivermectin and the second for providing COVID-19 information “contrary to public health recommendations” while not wearing a mask during a COVID-19 mask mandate..The first case occurred between June and September 2021 when Grobler prescribed Ivermectin to a patient to treat “myocarditis in the absence of sufficient evidence to support that diagnosis.”.“He prescribed Ivermectin to the patient when he knew or ought to have known it was neither evidence-informed nor in the patient’s best interest,” said the statement..Grobler prescribed Ivermectin after suspecting myocarditis in a patient after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine..The patient went to an emergency room the day after the vaccine shot with mild chest pain and tightness, shortness of breath, and flu-like symptoms. .Grobler defended prescribing Ivermectin as “he was trying to meet patient demand and thought it would not cause harm and might even have a placebo effect.”.In the second case, Grobler did not wear a mask during a September 2021 “clinical encounter with a patient under 18 years old” when “wearing a mask was mandated” and provided information contrary to the “current public health directives.” .During the encounter, Grobler “allowed one of the parents to remove their mask during the encounter without a valid reason,” said the censure. .“He [Grobler] conveyed information about the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccines without generally accepted scientific evidence that was contrary to public health recommendations, the law, codes of ethics and professionalism, regulatory standards and expectations, and could pose a potential risk to personal and public safety,” said the censure. .“By doing so in his capacity as a physician, he lent credibility to misinformation from unreliable sources and breached his undertaking to CPSM.”.In the fall of 2020, Grobler posted in his clinic and sent a letter to the chief medical officer of Health for Manitoba “in which he expressed his personal opinions about COVID-19” that contravened the province’s public health information..On Oct. 30, 2020, Grobler signed a “voluntary agreement” to not provide any COVID-19 information contrary to the “current public health directives.”.The CPSM allows “respectful scientific debate” but not the spread of misinformation, which CPSM claims Grobler did..“Whereas respectful scientific debate is important for advancing medical knowledge, misinformation breaches public trust and is contrary to the ethical obligations of a physician,” said the CPSM..Grobler had to pay the investigation cost of $6,165..Grobler is not the only doctor who had the provincial organization of physicians and surgeons threatened with discipline for providing COVID-19 information contrary to provincial public health organizations..A Saskatchewan (SK) family doctor, who had a similar experience, spoke to the Western Standard on the condition he remain anonymous..The SK doctor spoke with other doctors about the “groupthink” surrounding COVID-19 information and some of their patients. .The SK doctor was warned about spreading false information and threatened with action against them if they did not stop..Due to being the primary source of their family’s income, Saskatchewan health authorities forced them into silence..The Western Standard asked Grobler for an interview and received a response that “Dr. Grobler isn’t making a comment or taking interviews at this time.”
