Question:
A doctor who overcharged three dying cancer patients by thousandsof dollars for his controversial homeopathic treatment should be punished asseverely as if he had sexually assaulted them, a discipline tribunal heardyesterday.

Prosecutor Lisa Brownstone argued that Dr. Ravi Devgan's breach of hispatients' trust was so deplorable that it rivals that of doctors who abusetheir patients with sex or drugs. She urged the College of Physicians andSurgeons of Ontario to revoke his medical licence because he has not learnedfrom a previous reprimand and has repeatedly used patients' money to dealwith his own financial problems.

The tribunal reserved its judgment, but is expected to either revoke hislicence or impose a lengthy suspension.

Two months ago, the college found Dr. Devgan charged excessive fees to threeterminally ill cancer patients whose families paid up to $30,000 each forhis cancer treatment in Toronto. The college also said he misrepresented theefficacy of the treatment, which involves using an extract of the VenusFlytrap plant and is not recognized by the college. Doctors are forbidden inOntario from charging a markup on drugs.

Dr. Devgan said he never promised to heal the patients, and that the chargesstem only from the college's suspicion about his treatment.

Answer: This is what happens when the sodomization of logic (and greed) is allowed tointerfere with the practice of medicine.

Homeopathy is not harmless, even if the entire dispensary is just water.