A Melbourne doctor has vowed to continue helping parents avoid compulsory immunisations for their children, despite facing suspension.
Dr John Piesse, who works at the Natural Healing Centre in Mitcham, said he would keep advising about vaccination exemptions until he was deregistered, The Age reports.
The physician has reportedly seen at least 450 children, but said he had not provided a letter of exemption for ‘every one’.
Doctor John Piesse has vowed to continue helping parents avoid compulsory immunisations for their children, despite facing suspension
Dr Piesse is one of three general practitioner’s currently under investigation by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency and Victoria Health Department, according to the Herald Sun.
They are alleged to have offered services to parents who are against vaccinations, to help them avoid compulsory immunisation campaigns.
Adamant that he had ‘tried to help’ and had done nothing illegal, Dr Piesse also stated that he would continue advising parents.
‘I will… until they basically deregister me… unless I can be persuaded that what I am doing is wrong,’ he said.
Dr Piesse was advised on Thursday that his medical registration could be suspended while the investigation occurred.
He was reportedly given four days to provide a response in defence of his actions.
The Melbourne physician, who is one of three GP’s being investigated, has reportedly seen at least 450 children but said he had not provided a letter of exemption for ‘every one,’ according to The Age (stock photo)
The Melbourne GP was previously captured on camera bragging about helping hundreds of families avoid getting immunised.
At a screening of controversial documentary Vaxxed earlier this month, Dr Piesse railed against ‘no jab no play’ regulations on childcare and ‘no jab no pay’ rules on family assistance payments.
He was filmed telling attendees that doctors can get around both, with the clip subsequently posted on an anti-vaccination Facebook page.
‘I am a doctor who has been working hard for 18 months to try and help parents get exemption from ‘vaccinated pain for vaccinated play,’ with mixed success,’ he claimed.
‘I want you to know it is possible to get the exemption so there is hope,’ he told the crowd.
Adamant that he had ‘tried to help’ and had done nothing illegal, Dr Piesse also stated that he would continue advising parents until he was ‘deregistered’ (stock photo)
He explained that parents needed a doctor’s letter of ‘contrary indication’ – provided the GP has the qualifications required for ‘no vax no play’ or is a registered medical practitioner for ‘no vax no play.’
Legislation introduced in 2016 means childcare services must now obtain evidence of a child’s immunisation history or note for medical exemption, before enrolment.
Naturapathic physician Nerida James – who is Dr Piesse’s colleague from the Natural Healing Centre and president of the Church of Scientology’s Melbourne Narconon drug rehabilitation centre – also spoke at the screening on August 3.
She told attendees that they could help them like they have helped about 600 families.
‘We can support you. We have been supporting about 600 families thanks to Dr John Piesse,’ she said.
Dr Piesse was reportedly referred to the AHPRA a year ago after he applied for immunisation exemptions for patients by claiming the shots would damage their health.
Dr Piesse, second left at the back, spoke at a screening of controversial documentary Vaxxed earlier this month