Ontario psychiatrist loses licence after selling 1,400 baseless COVID exemptions

A disciplinary tribunal in Ontario has stripped psychiatrist Celeste Jean Thirlwell of her medical licence. The decision follows her issuance of over 1,400 exemption letters for COVID-19 rules without proper justification. An investigation revealed she charged patients $300 each for the letters, earning hundreds of thousands in just three months. Between late August and October 2021, Thirlwell wrote 999 vaccine exemption letters, 230 for masking, and 196 for testing. An independent medical reviewer later found only two of these exemptions met the College of Physicians and Surgeons' standards. The tribunal described her actions as 'dishonourable and unprofessional', particularly during the Delta variant surge.

Thirlwell, who specialised in psychiatry and sleep disorders, had no training in immunology or public health. She also failed to engage with the disciplinary process, not attending the hearing in December. As a result, the tribunal ordered her to pay $10,370 in costs to the College. Before her licence revocation, she served as director of the Sleep/Wake Health Maintenance Program at the Centre for Sleep and Chronobiology in North York. Her conduct exposed patients and the public to unnecessary risk during a critical phase of the pandemic.

The tribunal's ruling permanently removes Thirlwell from medical practice. Her case highlights the consequences of issuing unjustified exemptions during a public health crisis. The College's decision also requires her to cover the financial costs of the disciplinary proceedings.