'Excessive' billing among allegations leading to 3 misconduct charges for Regina doctor
A Regina doctor is facing three charges of professional misconduct from the province's College of Physicians and Surgeons after allegedly breaking college bylaws and billing a cancer patient excessively.
The charges against Dr. Ali Cadili are related to his work at Clear Health Inn on the city's east side, effective June 22.
"There's two elements to the charges. The first of those elements alleges that the advertising did not meet the expected criteria for advertising by physicians and in particular it contained claims that could not be supported," said Bryan Salte, legal counsel and associate registrar with the college.
Clear Health Inn bills itself as "Canada's premier Supplementary Cancer Treatment and Supplementary HealthCare [sic] center."
It provided treatment to the general public, and allegedly the cancer patient as well, such as light therapy, access to a salt chamber, aromatherapy and intravenous administration of vitamin C to patients, the documents outlining the charges said.
"And there's a number of specific statements attributed to the clinic that are said to have been inaccurate or misleading," Salte said.
Attempts to contact Dr. Cadili on Friday were unsuccessful. A hearing has not been set and the allegations against him have not been proven.
Advertising some alternative methods not prohibited
Salte said there are two instances when a patient might be recommended a method with no recognized therapeutic value, according to a bylaw at the time.
First, the College must grant permission to a physician to use that treatment on a patient specifically.
Second, the patient should demonstrate that the proposed benefits and risks of the method are not worse than traditional treatments. The doctor would then use that evidence in a demonstration.
"There's not any specific prohibition against using, for example detox baths, which is one of the things which is listed in the charge," Salte said.
Charges against Dr. Cadili
Cadili is accused of not ensuring the clinic's advertising complied with the College's bylaws because it was inaccurate or misleading.
He's also accused of having an ownership stake in the clinic and/or acting as a medical consultant for the clinic and as a result causing or allowing the clinic to use "remedies, treatments or devices" which aren't recognized as having therapeutic value.
The third charge is related to Cadil allegedly suggesting treatment to the woman that would "improve [the woman's] condition and prolong her life," but allegedly not meeting with the patient for a formal consultation on the recommended treatments or allow questioning from the patient or her family, according to the documents.
The woman is no longer receiving treatment at the clinic, according to Salte.
Documents allege that the clinic's website, which is now down for maintenance, listed pancreatic cancer as "The Most Common Cancers We Treat." The woman was advised by Cadili to get treated at Clear Health Inn immediately.
Threat of legal action against cancer patient
"You knew [her] diagnosis/prognosis and you misled her and her family and/or friends as to the efficacy of the recommended treatments," the documents said.
Her treatments were without recognized benefit in treating pancreatic cancer and she did not provide informed consent for the treatments, according to the documents.
An agreement requiring the woman to pay a fee of $13,640 was drawn up prior to commencing treatment, the charge alleges. The clinic received an initial payment of $6,825.
Then, when the clinic did not receive the other half of the payment, the clinic allegedly sent a letter to the woman demanding she pay the remaining balance, as well as a $45 NSF fee, or else she would face legal action.
