Australian Doctor Tells Schizophrenic Patient to Stop Taking Meds, Seek Spiritual Healing Instead

An Australian dentist was reprimanded and fined $10,000 for bringing a little too much religion into his dental practice. Dr. Paul Gardner, who identifies as a “strong practicing Christian,” was disciplined for a 2006 incident. When a patient told the doctor she was schizophrenic, he told her she was possessed by evil spirits. He suggested she stop taking her medication and instead seek spiritual healing from his church. When the patient left the treatment room, he followed her into the waiting room, chanting after her.

“We are very concerned that he does not appear to accept that he has done anything wrong,” said Australia’s Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal of the dentist. “We are very concerned that he appears to be painting himself as a martyr, inappropriately relying on scripture to justify a clear and calculated defiance of the authority of the board and the panel.”

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