TVNZ Presenter Loses Medical License Over Covid-19 Misinformation
The HPDT's decision serves as a reminder of the responsibility that comes with being a medical professional, particularly when it comes to sharing information with the public. Bailey's case has sparked a wider conversation about the role of medical professionals in promoting public health and the dangers of misinformation.
A former TVNZ presenter and doctor, Samantha Bailey, has been ordered to pay $148,450.41 in legal costs and had her medical registration cancelled after spreading Covid-19 misinformation on her YouTube channel, breaching standards of good medical practice.
The Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal (HPDT) found that Bailey's videos undermined New Zealand's public health response to Covid-19, claiming the vaccine's efficacy was a "mythology" and promoting a book that questioned the medical industry's role in inventing epidemics. Bailey also made personal attacks on Dr Siouxsie Wiles and Dr Michael Baker, who were at the forefront of New Zealand's pandemic response.
The tribunal found that Bailey's conduct was "objectively serious" and that she had "imparted misinformation to a wide audience." Bailey did not attend the HPDT hearing and was represented by a lawyer, who argued that she had a right to express her views. However, the tribunal found that her views were not grounded in evidence and had the hallmarks of conspiracy theory.
Bailey has not practised medicine since 2021 and has not commented on the decision, which includes a $10,000 fine and a two-year cancellation of her medical registration. The decision highlights the importance of accurate and evidence-based information in public health responses, particularly during a pandemic.