Media reports have confirmed that the license of Dr. Gilbertha St. Rose to pratice medicine has been suspended as a result of a non-approved use and promotion of Ivermectin to treat COVID-19. Approval for the use of the highly controversial drug could only have come from the Ministry of Health or the Chief Medical Officer.
The decision came after a diciplinary hearing which took place earlier this year where the doctor had the opportunity to defend the allegations made against her by the council. Dr St. Rose has, for years, been a proponent of the use of natural and organic methods to treat disease and ailments. In 2012, she spoke the THE STAR on the health benefits of Hemp and Medicinal Marijuana.
Ivermectin has been a contentious drug the world over, once being promoted for use by a former World leader who also suggested using bleach, for the treatment of symptoms related to COVID-19. The World Health Organisation (WHO), and other Public Health Agencies, many of which St. Lucia is a member by way of treatries, have consistently indicated it is not approved, nor is it effective for use in the treatment of symptoms related to COVID-19.
The Medical council has since noted the below with regards to its role and authority in such matters. Dr. St Rose has promised to hold a press conference on the matter.
Role of the Medical and Dental Council
The Medical and Dental Council (MDC), established by the Health Practitioners Act Cap 11.06 of the Revised Laws of Saint Lucia, to promote high standards in the practice of medicine and dentistry wishes to inform the public of the following:
1) The Health Practitioners Act, requires that:
a. Health practitioners perform their duties competently, trustworthily and with utmost regard for the welfare of their patients.Â
b. Complaints of professional misconduct in the practice of medicine and dentistry are investigated by the MDC.Â
c. The MDC takes action, if after investigation it is satisfied that a practitioner has a case to answer.Â
d. The MDC acts independently, impartially and in the interest of the public.Â
2) The Research Ethics Committee, established by the MDC:
a. has delegated authority to ensure ethical standards in the conduct of medical research,Â
b. assesses research applications for approval, andÂ
c. monitors the conduct of any approved research.Â
3) The Chief Medical Officer, is the medical practitioner authorized by Laws of Saint Lucia to:
a. educate the public in the preservation of health,Â
b. protect the public from fraud or deception in connection with food and medications,Â
c. direct the public medical service, andÂ
d. manage the examination, treatment, and isolation of all suspected or confirmed cases of communicable diseases, such as Covid-19.Â
4) In accordance with Laws of Saint Lucia, a medical practitioner in private practice:
a. is required to notify the team of medical officers of health, if any person professionally attended by him or her is a suspected or confirmed case of a notifiable disease, such as Covid-19; andÂ
b. is not authorized to keep under their care and manage any suspected or confirmed case of Covid-19.Â
5) The International Health Regulations is an instrument of international law which:
a. legally binds Saint Lucia and other members of the World Health Organization (WHO).Â
b. aims to prevent, protect against, control, and provide a public health response to the international spread of disease.Â
c. requires signatories to the treaty to make determinations on health measures to be implemented, based on anyÂ
I am a member of the medical profession having obtained the FRCS ( Gladgow ) decades ago and knowing how beneficial Ivermectin is, especially when given in the early course of Covid-19, I am appalled by the action taken by the MDC in St. Lucia. Since the outbreak of Covid-19 in the Cayman Islands, I have treated hundreds of patients with Covid-19 with Ivermectin and they have all recovered in record time, none has died of even required hospitalization.
Ivermectin treatment for Covid-19 is now supported by at least 120 studies, 73 of which have been peer-reviewed. This includes 67 controlled trials with a total of 26,969 patients and 37 Randomized Controlled Trials. Of these reports only one, I understand, has been retracted by the Editor-in-Chief but not by its authors.
Here are a few of the articles which may be accessed on:
https://www.futuremedicine.com/doi/10.2217/fvi-2020-0342
https://doi.org/202217/fvi-2020-0342
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S01674889/200114
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00210-020-0192-5
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41429-020-0336-z
https;//doi.org/10.1038%2Fs41579-020-00468-6
https://academic.oup.com/jid/article/222/5/734/5860442
And there are many more……..
Happy reading. I sure hoped by now that people throughout this region would have learnt from countries other than those in Europe and North America. Why is it that so many countries in Africa with the lowest vaccination rates and liberal use of Ivermectin are doing so well?
St. Lucia, please, reinstate her licence and she’ll save many lives. Doctors have treated many contagious diseases before, this one is no different. What we do best is treat patients, allow us to do so!!
Blow your horn little boy blue. I have been a colleague of the good Dr. since 1981 and I would trust her judgement and her actions which in my view are in the interest of the patient. Ivermectin if used properly is harmless, it is not a horse medicine, it is a human medicine and by all accounts not only from India and Peru and other countries, it works and saves lives even when used off label. I am disappointed with the medical body that takes this approach. An experienced licensed Physician should be respected enough not to be bullied in that way. Shame on them!!!
And rightfully so, when you have taken oath of office and become a member of an organisation you must comply with its rules and regulations.
She made a decision to breach these rules knowing well she had no evidence to back her claim but the views of many other crack pot anti tax campaigners.
There is a standard procedure to evaluate treatment effectiveness and that she choose to ignore blatantly thus causing indirect harm to the many illiterate and ignorant who trust her.
It was time an example was made of individuals that know better and the effects of the word on the masses. Please to see the medical body has back bone.