On March 9, 2021, Australian registered health practitioners and students were informed by their regulatory agency, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) [2, 3], that they are obliged to only follow the COVID-19 vaccination narrative. Any objective opinion counter-narrative (anti-vaccination) to AHPRA‘s “may” see them being investigated and potentially have their medical license revoked. Australian doctors are under a “gag order“. Australian doctors are fearful and some even resigned. [2]
This seems contrary to TGA‘s guidance to doctors in June 2021 on promotion of COVID-19 vaccines, but to clarify, regulatory changes were made June 4, 2021, with updates designated No. 2, No. 3, No. 4. [1]
The flow-on effect of this “threat” means any vaccine exemptions and post-vaccine reaction reports may likely result in an investigation [including anonymous social media complaints! [3]]. So will doctors now actively deny adverse events following COVID-19 vaccines, event though provisionally registered products require reporting?
Prime minister, at the time, Scott Morrison’s brother Alan Morrison co-chairs the AHPRA “Accreditation Committee“, the body who sets the “standards” and was established February 4, 2021, previously the 2018 established Advisory Committee.
- September 2021 – AHPRA confirmed that practitioners are obligated to provide informed consent
- April 14, 2022 – AMPS sent a letter to AHPRA demanding removal of the gag order on health professionals
- On November 10, 2022 Senator Alex Antic asks AHPRA representative Mr Martin Fletcher whether this “position statement” has damaged the doctor-patient relationship.
- November 2023 Senator Gerard Rennick questioned AHPRA regarding “ if they were going to end the culture of fear in the medical profession“
- Novmember 28, 2023 – AHPRA are ignoring Australian medical professionals.
- Dec 11, 2023 – AHPRA “Superseded” their statement, and replaced with “Vaccination and immunisation information” page. [4]