Acupuncturist, yes. Doctor? Absolutely not.
The College of Complementary Health Professionals has handed down discipline for a former North Vancouver acupuncturist who was marketing himself as a medical doctor.
Following a hearing, the regulatory body determined that, over the course of 2022, Dawood Taghizadeh “engaged in the unauthorized use of the title Doctor and Dr. on Twitter and Facebook, two publicly accessible websites” – a violation of the Health Professions Act and the regulatory body’s bylaws. He also used the term “medical” on his Facebook page, business cards and pamphlets available in his Lonsdale Avenue clinic.
“The panel held that the respondent’s unauthorized use of reserved titles and misleading information in his marketing materials was a significant breach of the HPA and college bylaws. This conduct had the potential to confuse and mislead the public by undermining its ability to distinguish between qualified and unqualified practitioners, as well as undermining confidence in the professional practice of traditional Chinese medicine,” the decision read.
Although Taghizadeh allowed his licence to practise to expire in 2023, the regulatory body retains the jurisdiction to investigate and, if necessary, issue discipline. In this case, he won’t be allowed to seek a licence again until he has removed the words doctor and medical from his marketing materials.
The college, however, opted against ordering Taghizadeh to cover any costs. Since the investigation began, Taghizadeh had been diagnosed with a serious medical condition and had to close the clinic.
The College of Complementary Health Professionals provides oversight and licensing for B.C.’s 10,000 acupuncturists, chiropractors, massage therapists, naturopathic physicians, and traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, to ensure competency and adherence to ethical and safety standards.
