Healthcare inspectorate IGJ has cautioned 50 doctors who gave their patients misleading information about Covid-19 or the vaccine.

Ten doctors were told they could face disciplinary measures if they persisted, while one was fined €3,000 fine for prescribing inappropriate medication.

The inspectorate received some 200 reports about doctors who spread disinformation since March last year, all of which were followed up.

The doctors in question not only tried to influence their patients but promoted unscientific views on social media, the inspectorate found.

The breaches of professional guidelines included ‘disputing commonly accepted scientific information, promoting the use of medication which did not comply to professional standards [and] actively advising people not to take the vaccine.’

Doctors who refused to wear masks or who issued false medical statements exempting people from the obligation to wear one were also cautioned.

The inspectorate said it respects freedom of opinion, including that of doctors, but it is their duty to make sure any information given to patients is based on fact.

‘Handing out information which is evidently wrong or even spreading conspiracy theories is definitely not part of this,’ the inspectorate said.