N.B. doctors suspended for being unvaccinated allowed to return to practice

A handful of New Brunswick doctors who were suspended more than four months ago for being unvaccinated against COVID-19 or failing to provide proof can again practise medicine.

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of New Brunswick has reinstated five of the nine doctors, including one specialist and four family doctors, registrar Dr. Ed Schollenberg confirmed Wednesday.

Two other specialists are expected to be reinstated on Thursday, he said.

One family doctor has decided to leave the province.

The college has not yet heard from the other family doctor about whether they plan to return to practice, Schollenberg said.

When the doctors were suspended, Schollenberg said physicians have to lead by example and also not put their patients' health in jeopardy. 

"You can't encourage patients to get vaccinated if you don't get vaccinated yourself," he said at the time.

On Wednesday, he said he still believes that's true.

"I have a strong personal opinion on it," he said. "But on the other hand … there are a lot of people who make these decisions and have some role, and there gets to be a point where you can't hold out against everything else that's going on."

He attributed the policy reversal to a change in policy at the regional health authorities.

"Late Friday afternoon, we got a memo from somebody there saying that they were doing away with all their requirements. So we just realized we couldn't justify continuing to suspend these doctors."

The doctors were suspended on Nov. 30 at midnight at the request of the hospitals, said Schollenberg, a move that left their patients scrambling to find care in a province already desperate for more doctors.

The number of patients affected isn't known. About 40,000 people are on New Brunswick's Patient Connect wait list for a primary care provider.

Seven of the suspended doctors worked within the Horizon Health Network, while the other two worked within the Vitalité Health Network, said Schollenberg.

Horizon officials did not respond to a request for comment.

Government policy change takes effect April 11

The about-face comes after New Brunswick announced Friday it's dropping its vaccine mandate for provincial government employees in vulnerable sectors, including health care, effective April 11.

Employees of the regional health authorities and Extra-Mural/Ambulance N.B. who were placed on unpaid leave for failing to provide proof of vaccination can return to work if they follow all mitigation measures required by their employer, based on Public Health guidance, until they are fully vaccinated.

The change also applies to nursing homes and adult residential facilities licensed by the Department of Social Development.

New Brunswick is the only province that suspended any physicians for failing to provide proof of vaccination, according to Schollenberg.

"We are the only province that every physician has a hospital responsibility," he said.

"So the other provinces just said, 'Doctors just can't go to the hospital.' But most of them could still work just fine. Well, we don't have that approach here. If you can't go in the hospital, you can't work in your office."

Doctors should be vaccinated, says medical society

Asked whether new doctors who wish to practise in New Brunswick will be required to provide proof of vaccination, Schollenberg replied, "Current docs do not need to be vaccinated. We're still checking new applicants, but haven't made any change there yet."

Asked to clarify whether that too might change, he replied: "It might but we haven't had any yet. One thing at a time."

The New Brunswick Medical Society, which represents more than 2,000 doctors, "would support the continuation of the college's present policy," said president Dr. Mark MacMillan.

As health-care providers we care for the most vulnerable of our citizens.​​- Mark MacMillan, New Brunswick Medical Society president

The organization continues to believe all physicians should be vaccinated.

"Regardless of whether it is a mandated requirement, our position is that all New Brunswickers, health-care workers included, should follow the scientific evidence, which shows that vaccination is the best means of protecting against severe outcomes related to COVID-19," MacMillan said in an emailed statement.

"As health-care providers we care for the most vulnerable of our citizens. If we are going to encourage people to get vaccinated to better protect themselves and others, we should lead by example."

He noted 99.5 per cent of physicians are vaccinated.

"We have in the strongest possible terms encouraged unvaccinated physicians to follow the science that has guided their careers and get vaccinated."

There is "undeniable evidence that the COVID-19 vaccine is highly effective in reducing hospitalization and mortality rates," he added.