Timmins, Ont., woman who had chiropractor treat her diabetes ends up in a coma
A professional health standards review committee is calling for a review of sanctions for a Timmins chiropractor whose patient ended up in a diabetic coma.
An initial review of the case by the Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee ended with the chiropractor being issued advice to adhere to the scope of practice for chiropractors under Ontario law.
The transcript of the appeal said the female patient went to the chiropractor in October 2018 “to help understand diabetes.” The woman, who had type 1 diabetes, remained his patient until November 2019.
“During this period, the patient and the respondent exchanged numerous text messages, including messages regarding blood sugar, insulin and the patient’s insulin pump,” the transcript said.
On Nov. 10, 2019, she was feeling unwell and went to the chiropractor’s house, because the clinic wasn’t open.
“The patient provided information that during the Nov. 10 visit, she was at the respondent’s house for approximately one hour during which time he gave her vitamins, water and treated her with the activator,” the transcript said.
“She vomited three times during her visit ... the respondent assured the patient when she began vomiting that this was normal, advised that the vomiting was a good thing as it meant that the acidity was leaving the patient’s body, told the patient to continue drinking water and did not seem concerned.”
But on the morning of Nov. 11, she was unresponsive and hospitalized for severe ketoacidosis due to high blood sugar levels due to lack of insulin intake.
The initial review concluded that the chiropractor did not cause the diabetic coma, it was a malfunctioning insulin pump.
However, the appeals board concluded that the chiropractor was not taken to task for not recognizing the seriousness of his patient’s symptoms.
“There is no analysis in the decision regarding whether the respondent met the standard of care required of a chiropractor in failing to advise the patient to seek further medical attention on Nov. 10,” the appeals board said.
“The board finds that the information in the record supports that the patient informed the respondent that she was feeling very unwell on Nov. 10 before the visit, she continued to feel unwell during the visit vomiting several times, she was likely suffering from the early stages of ketoacidosis given her condition and hospitalization the following day, and the respondent did not advise the patient to seek medical attention.”
The board failed to address the standard-of-care issue in its first decision, the appeals body said, in particular the fact he didn’t “recognize the severity of the patient’s condition” and advise her to get medical care.
So it referred the issue back to the Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee to issue a new decision in the case.
Read the full transcript here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.