SINGAPORE – The general practitioner (GP) accused of injecting patients with saline solution in place of Covid-19 vaccines has had his 18-month interim suspension extended by a year, bringing the suspension period to a total of 30 months.

Jipson Quah was suspended in March 2022 after the Ministry of Health (MOH) filed a complaint against him in January that year with the medical professional watchdog, the Singapore Medical Council (SMC).

Among other things, the complaint alleged that Quah had falsely reported to MOH that he had vaccinated certain patients against Covid-19, when in fact he had injected the 15 patients with saline solution.

The complaint also alleged that he had uploaded the results of no fewer than 430 remote pre-event Covid-19 tests that were not compliant with the rules at the time. This allowed the people who took the tests to attend events with invalid results and “would have affected not only the subjects tested, but potentially all attendees”.

The original 18-month suspension by SMC’s Interim Orders Committee (IOC) – the maximum allowed under the law – ended on Friday. But SMC received approval from the High Court to extend the suspension by 12 months from Saturday, or until the conclusion of the disciplinary proceedings, whichever ends earlier.

Quah, who was informed of the inquiry in February 2022, told The Straits Times in early September 2023: “There has been no disciplinary hearing or inquiry to my knowledge as yet. I have also not been called up for any investigations by SMC. I have not heard from a disciplinary tribunal or further actions directed by the complaints committee (CC) about this matter.”

Interim orders are not a punishment for the doctor, but are conditions imposed to safeguard the public against potential harm until the case against the doctor is resolved.

Quah said: “If the interim order is meant to protect the public in a Covid-19 pandemic and for the purpose of inquiry and investigations to be conducted, that is understandable. Through my lawyers, I have also stated my desire to contest all allegations vigorously.

“However, in the last 20 months, I have earnestly requested SMC to commence investigations into the allegations with my fullest cooperation, but to no avail. A further extension without inquiry is puzzling to me, especially since Covid-19 measures have since abated.” 

A check with SMC found that the delay is because the council is waiting for the conclusion of the court case against Quah before proceeding with the complaint.

The doctor faces 17 charges of fraud by false representation and is out on $30,000 bail. If found guilty, he could be jailed for a maximum of 20 years and fined.

SMC said: “The CCs may hold their inquiries in abeyance pending investigations by enforcement agencies such as the Singapore Police Force or ongoing court proceedings, if they assess that these would have a material impact on the CC’s inquiry.”

In March 2022, SMC had argued that an 18-month suspension was both warranted and proportionate, especially as the GP “had allegedly profited from the improper and dishonest provision of PET (pre-event testing) and false vaccination statuses at the expense of the nation’s efforts in combating Covid-19 and of those whose livelihoods are affected by the pandemic”.

In his response to IOC at the time, Quah said: “I advised all the (15) patients to take the vaccination, but these patients were genuinely distressed about the vaccination and adamantly refused – whereupon I acceded to their requests, then uploaded false vaccination statuses into the MOH’s National Immunisation Registry system. Admittedly, this was an error and lapse in judgment.”

MOH claimed that at least three patients paid Quah $1,000 to $1,500 for each dose of the vaccine, when the usual vaccination charges across most clinics ranged between $50 and $100 a dose. Quah disputed this, stating that he “charged all patients the same fee ($50 to $100) for a vaccination – genuine or otherwise”.

The IOC decided at the time that as the allegations were of a “very serious nature”, with both police investigations and court proceedings, the doctor should be suspended from practice till his case was concluded, as “public interest would outweigh Dr Quah’s personal interests in remaining in practice”.