Discipline Hearing Summary
Sukhdev Singh Kooner (Maidstone, ON)
April 26-27, 2022
Details
On October 28, 2022, the Discipline Committee found that Mr. Kooner committed the following acts of professional misconduct:
1. contravening a standard of practice of the profession, in particular the Standards for Advertising and Vaccination;
2. failed to advise a patient to consult another member of a health profession within the meaning of the RHPA, where the member knew or ought to have known that the patient required a service that is beyond his scope of practice;
3. permitted the advertising of his practice in a manner that is false or misleading;
4. engaged in conduct or performed an act relevant to the practice of the profession that, having regard to all the circumstances, would reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional; and
5. engaged in conduct that would reasonably be regarded by members as conduct unbecoming a member of the profession.
The findings arose from Mr. Kooner's conduct pertaining to a sign posted outside of his clinic pertaining to vaccination, engaging in discussion with a patient regarding advice on vaccination and issuing an exemption certificate related to COVID vaccination.
The Panel’s findings with respect to each act of professional misconduct are outlined in the full copy of the Decision and Reasons. To request a full copy please contact the College at 647-749-4952 or at info@collegeofhomeopaths.com.
A penalty hearing will be held soon.
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Referred to Discipline Committee on September 27, 2021
Hearing Date: April 26 and 27, 2022
STATEMENT OF SPECIFIED ALLEGATIONS
The Registrant
1. Sukhdev Singh Kooner (the “Registrant”) registered with the College of Homeopaths of Ontario (the “College”) on or about May 3, 2016.
Advertising
2. On or about April 21, 2021 a member of the public contacted the College about a sign that advertised the treatment and prevention of COVID-19. The sign also stated that COVID-19 vaccine “is one of the number one killers.”
3. On or about April 25, 2021 the Registrant confirmed that he was the owner and/or controller of the sign. The Registrant advised he had posted the sign a year earlier.
4. Vaccination is not within the scope of practice of the homeopathic profession.
Acts of Professional Misconduct
5. It is alleged that the above noted conduct constitutes professional misconduct pursuant to section 51(1)(c) of the Health Professions Procedural Code, being Schedule 2 to the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 as set out in one or more of the following paragraphs of section 1 of Ontario Regulation 315/12 made under the Homeopathy Act, 2007:
a. Paragraph 1 – Contravening, by act or omission, a standard of practice of the profession or failing to maintain the standard of practice of the profession;
b. Paragraph 9 - Failing to advise a patient or the patient’s authorized representative to consult another member of a health profession within the meaning of the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991, where the member knows or ought to know that the patient requires a service that the member does not have the knowledge, skills or judgment to offer or is beyond his or her scope of practice;
c. Paragraph 28 - Permitting the advertising of the member or his or her practice in a manner that is false or misleading;
d. Paragraph 48 - Engaging in conduct or performing an act relevant to the practice of the profession that, having regard to all the circumstances, would reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional; and/or
e. Paragraph 49 - Engaging in conduct that would reasonably be regarded by members as conduct unbecoming a member of the profession.