An ‘anti-vax’ GP has been struck off for encouraging parents to ‘deliberately’ mislead doctors about their children’s medical status.
Dr Jayne Donegan gave parents ‘one-sided’ views about vaccines during a series of paid talks she would host about immunisations, a medical tribunal heard.
The London-based doctor – who ignited outrage after comparing World Health Organization inoculation information to Nazi propaganda – was accused of eight charges at a Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) misconduct hearing.
But a defiant Dr Donegan hit back today as she declared being struck off was a ‘small the price to pay for taking a lawful ethical stand for the safety of British children’ before branding her tribunal hearing a ‘politically motivated show trial’.
The misconduct hearing heard how concerns were raised about her comments she gave during her vaccine lectures in 2019 and 2020, were exposed by undercover journalists.
Dr Jayne Donegan gave parents ‘one-sided’ views about vaccines during a series of paid talks she would host about immunisations, a medical tribunal heard.
The London-based doctor – who ignited outrage after comparing World Health Organization inoculation information to Nazi propaganda
One exposé, in November 2019, led to calls from former Health Secretary Matt Hancock for her to be investigated after he declared: ‘Vaccines save lives – the science is beyond doubt. Anyone who claims otherwise is wilfully risking lives.’
The General Medical Council (GMC) alleged she failed to give balanced views on the risks and benefits of immunisation, and did not comply with clinical knowledge summaries as outlined by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
During an MMR vaccine event, in June 2019, she told the audience how to falsify a child’s health record – or red book – detailing their vaccine history.
Dr Donegan even went as far as saying she would ‘get struck off’ for recommending such advice, as she described how parents could avoid questions in A&E about the child’s medical status by acting stupid.
In written submissions, Dr Donegan – who boycotted the hearing – claimed she had sought to provide balanced views by highlighting the risks of immunisation and vaccine efficacy because positive information was already available.
‘Vaccines are not safe,’ she insisted. ‘They cause adverse reactions some of which are serious, including death. But the general public do not know that – they think they can trust their doctors.’
Dr Donegan also stated: ‘If parents mislead healthcare professionals, the responsibility for that lies with healthcare professionals.
‘Every doctor has a duty to ensure a child can get proper medical care as and when it is needed without parents being bullied by doctors about a child’s vaccination status and frightened away and put off seeking attention for their child.’
But the tribunal found she had ‘strongly focused on the risks of immunisation without meaningfully weighing this against the positive aspects of immunisation’.
‘She stated that vaccines are not needed, that they have adverse effects, are not effective, have side effects that are not monitored and stated that the government supports vaccination because it makes money from it,’ it said.
The tribunal – branded a ‘politically-motivated show trial by Dr Donegan – heard how concerns were raised about her comments she gave during her vaccine lectures in 2019 and 2020, were exposed by undercover journalists.
The tribunal rejected her claims her comments at the MMR event were meant to be ‘humorous’ and that the audience would be ‘stupid’ if they failed to recognise that.
It also dismissed her claims expert witness Dr Andrew Riordan, was ‘biased’ so his evidence could not be relied upon.
Three of the eight charges – that she gave advice which put newborn babies at risk of significant harm, made untrue statements regarding vaccines, and of dishonesty – were found not proved.
The second of these charges related to statements she made after being cleared of misconduct by a previous tribunal in 2007 over a report Dr Donegan gave to the family division of the High Court in 2002.
The report – criticised as ‘junk science’ by a judge – was used to support the case of two mothers who opposed vaccination of their daughters, contrary to their fathers’ wishes.
As Dr Donegan had previously been cleared of alleged failures to be objective, independent and unbiased, the tribunal said she had ‘mistakenly believed’ her views on immunisation had been ‘validated and vindicated’, so therefore didn’t know her statements were untrue.
Dr Donegan hasn’t had a licence to practise since March 2022 and restrictions were placed on her registration in September relating to her prescribing and advising on childhood vaccinations.
In a statement following the tribunal, she said: ‘The British Medical Association is correct to declare yesterday no confidence in the GMC.
‘I boycotted the GMC’s political show trial against me which ended today.
‘Serious irregularities include bogus dishonesty charges and bogus accusations that I put newborns at risk of serious harm.
‘I’m also not being struck off for my opinions on vaccination. This is the second time in 16 years these have been confirmed “correct”. In 2007 the GMC was forced by overwhelming evidence to concede my opinions on vaccination were “correct”. The 2007 charges were thrown out.
‘While there are doctors who act unprofessionally, do not follow the GMC guidance on the Duties of a Doctor nor the Law on Consent [Montgomery 2015], my ‘impairment’ is the alleged ‘misconduct’ and ‘lack of insight’ that I support the right of every parent to do whatever is necessary to access timely and appropriate medical care for their children.
‘When all doctors act like professionals parents won’t have to.
‘Being struck off by a corrupt GMC is a small the price to pay for taking a lawful ethical stand for the safety of British children.’
She vowed to continue giving lectures so the public can get information to make informed decisions about vaccinations.
For all the latest health News Click Here
