Ontario, Canada: Alternative Medicine bill passed in 2001

[Guest guest]

Alternative Medicine Bill Becomes Law

January 26, 2001

http://www.drjerrygreen.com/new_law_full.htm

 

Toronto, Canada---Alternative medical practitioner, Dr. Jerry Green,

M.D.’s new law has released alternative medicine and laid the groundwork

for the elimination of the College of Physicians. Dr. Green worked on

the law for the last 5 years. He is the instigator, author and promoter

of Bill 2 which was enacted as the new law…The Medicine Amendment Act,

2000…an added section to the Medicine Act 1991 in the Province of

Ontario, Canada.

 

The Ontario legislature, on December 14, unanimously gave third and

final reading to Bill 2. The law was proclaimed with royal assent and

came into force on December 21.

 

Green’s bill received little media coverage since it was enacted during

the holiday season following Premier Harris’ desire to expedite it.

 

“This is an example of citizen democracy. As citizens, we told our

elected representatives, bureaucrats and doctors what we wanted. We

reminded them their mandated role is to carry out the wishes of the

majority,” said Dr. Green. Dr. Green practices alternative medicine in

Toronto and on the Internet: http://www.drjerrygreen.com He specializes

in arthritis, heart disease, cancer and allergies.

 

There was so much support that no politician could vote against it and

remain a credible representative of the people.

 

Green says, “I would like to personally thank all 103 MPP’s who

enthusiastically supported the passage of this bill.”

 

The Medicine Amendment Act, 2000 amends the Medicine Act 1991 by adding

the following section:

 

Non-traditional practice

 

5.1 “ A member shall not be found guilty of professional misconduct or

of incompetence under section 51 or 52 of the Health Professions

Procedural Code solely on the basis that the member practises a therapy

that is non-traditional or that departs from the prevailing medical

practice unless there is evidence that proves that the therapy poses a

greater risk to a patient’s health than the traditional or prevailing

practice.”

 

“As part of my 30 year case work on the College of Physicians, I started

this bill as a public citizen 5 years ago. I convinced my elected

representative by having him as a guest on my radio show to work with me

to design and introduce this private members bill. The bill had to be

introduced on three separate occasions. I encouraged citizens to contact

their local members of provincial parliament to pass the bill. We

revealed so many legitimate complaints against the College, to MPP’s

that it would have been political suicide for any representative to

ignore them,” declares Dr. Green.

 

Dr. Green’s new law is a beginning step towards ensuring the ability of

M.D's to practise alternative medicine. Alberta is the only Canadian

province so far that has passed a similar bill.

 

It is revealing that the first law and first priority in alternative

medicine bills is to curtail the power of bodies like the Colleges of

Physicians. One of the insidious hazards of allowing the Colleges to

continue to exist is the false sense of security patients get from

ordinary allopathic medicine. Patients mistakenly believe that ordinary

drugs and surgery are keeping them healthy and preventing future

problems. The fact is that, in most cases, symptoms are covered up while

basic disease processes go on. Sometimes, doctors develop an attitude of

“come back later when your problems are really bad…so that we can

justify taking the risk of heavy intensive therapy.” Some doctors

encourage the Colleges’ attacks on alternative M.D.’s. This allows them

to practice “take-it-or-leave-it” medicine…”you either have to agree to

my methods or take nothing, since we have curtailed all those other

medical doctors.”

 

The bill, even before it became law, embarrassed and exposed the

Colleges of Physicians in each province for what they have done to hard

working alternative medical doctors and especially to patients

everywhere in terms of restricting freedom of choice.

 

For years, citizens and doctor members have accurately labeled the

College a sinister body that claims to protect the public while actually

protecting the status quo. As a result of its unwillingness to make any

significant changes to its hard-to-believe policies, the College has

become a rallying point for citizens concerned about the freedom to

choose alternative medicine.

 

The College, while giving the illusion of protecting the public,

actually protects and turns a blind eye to ordinary doctors who mistreat

their patients. Read: Blind Eye, How the Medical Establishment Let A

Doctor Get Away With Murder by James B. Stewart, Published by Simon and

Schuster (1999).

 

WHAT THE NEW LAW DOES MEAN

 

* The College and the medical establishment is now on notice that

citizens will not tolerate actions to restrict freedom of choice in

health care.

 

* The passing of this new law puts the College on the road to

elimination and replacement by a citizens’ body.

 

WHAT THE NEW LAW DOES NOT DO

 

* Alternative medicine doctors still cannot freely practice since the

College can say there are a number of reasons for attacking an

alternative medical practitioner…not “solely” for practicing

alternatively. The word “solely” was added to the original version of

the bill in order to gain the support of the College and some members of

parliament.

 

* Since the new law is not retroactive, it will not directly help

doctors who have already suffered from the College’s unjust actions.

There are efforts underway to make amends to these doctors by other

mechanisms.

 

* The new law does not directly help practitioners such as naturopaths,

osteopaths, etc.

 

FURTHER CITIZEN ACTION WORK

 

* Prosecution of College members and staff responsible for disregarding

the will of the people and making the passing of this legislation

necessary. In particular: Drs. John Carlisle, Geoffrey Bond, John Bonn,

Rocco Gerace, Chandar Rao, David Walker, Sandy Shulman, Joseph Homer,

Oscar Kofman and others.

 

* Legislation to prevent the College from attacking or restricting

non-MD practitioners such as naturopaths, homeopaths, osteopaths,

grandmothers etc.

 

* Legislation to get OHIP to start to cover alternative medicine.

Politicians mistakenly fear this will raise health care costs. Citizens

should educate them that it will actually lower costs by encouraging

less usage of drugs, hospitals, and doctors and greater utilization of

vitamins, herbs, community health centers, alternative doctors,

self-care and prevention.

 

* Elimination of the College of Physicians. Replacing it with a

citizens’ body.

 

* Amends to the five doctors who suffered from the absence of this long

overdo law.

 

* Citizens from across Canada, the United States and other countries

should contact their politicians to urge them to pass similar

legislation. A complete list of Ontario members of provincial parliament

with fax numbers and email addresses can be found on Dr. Green’s website

www.drjerrygreen.com.

 

* Urge the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care to release KPMG’s now

completed damaging report on its investigation into the complaints and

discipline process of the College so that further action can be taken.

 

* Attend the next meeting of the College’s governing Council February 22

and 23 to witness the last days of the College.

 

DEMOCRACY IN ACTION

 

Green states, “My bill addresses the crucial issue of relative risk. In

the past, the medical establishment has gleefully pointed out the

occasional person who has suffered harm from an alternative medical

method. The bill emphasizes this must be compared to the risk of using

an ordinary method which is usually many times hazardous.

 

“While my bill only deals with M.D.’s, a recent bill in Minnesota allows

non-M.D. practitioners to help their patients. Governor Jesse Ventura

has signed the Complementary and Alternative Health Care bill, HF-3839,

into law. The bill will become effective on July 1, 2001.

 

“The Colleges have sunk to such a low level that they must be scrapped,

purged or eliminated. I am working on additional bills which will

eliminate the Ontario College and replace it with a citizen driven body.

The medical profession has lost its privilege of self-governance in most

countries (e.g. Britain, China, Scandinavia). Canada is one of the few

countries to allow this out-dated practice.”

 

DR. JERRY GREEN, M.D.

 

For the last 13 years, Dr. Green has devoted himself to alternative

medicine specializing in heart disease, arthritis, cancer and allergies.

This involves giving people the information and skills that they need in

order to look after their health problems through the use of food,

vitamins, herbs, aerobic exercise and lifestyle manipulation. He has

developed an extensive referral network of alternative and ordinary

practitioners and has hundreds of thankful people who credit him with

their good health.

 

He believes that the lineups at emergency departments and cancer

treatment centers will vanish as patients demand more alternative medicine.

 

 

HOW TO HELP

 

Concerned citizens can help by joining ($10/year) and donating to the

Honest College of Physicians, 5334 Yonge Street, Suite 2016, Toronto,

Canada M2N 6V1, 416.223.0344.

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT

 

Phone: 416.223.0344

Toll-Free: 1.888.605.8889

Web Site: www.drjerrygreen.com

 

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