AN IRISH GP who describes himself as a 'conscientious objector' has been suspended from his post for continued refusal to vaccinate patients against Covid-19.
Last month, we reported on Kildare GP Dr Gerard Waters of the Whitehorn Clinic in Celbridge, who faced backlash after admitting he would not be vaccinating his patients and also does not refer anyone for Covid-19 tests even if they are exhibiting symptoms.
Speaking on RTÉ's Liveline in February, Dr Waters said he was a 'conscientious objector' and said he disagreed with how quickly the vaccines had been developed and how it had been handled by authorities.
He went on to say that he would have no issue if his patients went on to receive the vaccine from somewhere else, but he would not put anything in his patient's arms that he would not put in his own.
Now Dr Waters has been suspended by the Medical Council after they made an application to the High Court under the Medical Practitioners Act 2007, The Irish Times reports.
A spokesperson for the Medical Council told the outlet that the council has written to a number of GPs across Ireland reminding them of their 'ethical duty' to patients with regards to the Coronavirus pandemic, and "a number of matters [are] being investigated by the council".
Any doctor found to be spreading misinformation or not following guidelines relating to the pandemic or vaccines will be dealt with by the Council, which takes these matters extremely seriously, the spokesperson added.
Following Dr Water's admission on Liveline last month, CEO of the HSE Paul Reid said he was "quite shocked" that a GP had vocally refused to administer vaccines, and confirmed that the health service would make "alternative arrangements" for patients of any other 'conscientious objectors'.
