Dr Simon Floreani’s Legal Fees
Donation protected
I have started this Go Fund Me page to help support one of the most dedicated and passionate health practitioners I’ve come to know and depend upon for my family’s health, Dr Simon Floreani.
Dr Simon recently had his chiropractic registration suspended under the ‘immediate action’ laws that apply to health practitioners, even though the two events on which the suspension was based took place nearly a year beforehand, and even though there was no complaint by any of Dr Simon’s patients that he had caused harm to any person. The two events were:
1. In October 2016, Dr Simon was interviewed online by an American chiropractor for a Californian conference and in that wide-ranging interview there was a mention by the interviewer of the Australian Government’s mandatory vaccination changes. Dr Simon made some comments in response that were considered by the regulator to be anti-vaccination in nature.
2. In December 2016, Dr Simon allowed his practices premises to be used for the screening of a film ‘Vaxxed’ which neither he nor any of his staff attended. The regulator considers this film to be anti-vaccination in nature.
The regulator notified Dr Simon in late December 2016 of its concerns about these two events, and reminded Dr Simon of the statements and guidelines it had issued which prohibit chiropractors from displaying, promoting or providing materials, information or advice which is anti-vaccination in nature, or from making public statements discouraging vaccination. From that point on, Dr Simon made no further public comments about vaccination and did not provide any patients with anti-vaccination material. He also tried to have the interview taken down from YouTube but has been unsuccessful, since it was published by an unrelated person.
Despite this, at the end of September last year, with only one week’s notice (and while he was travelling overseas), Dr Simon had his registration suspended because he supposedly represented a “serious” risk to his patients and it was “necessary” to take immediate action.
Only after a recent legal process has he and his legal team managed to get a ‘stay’ of his suspension, but despite this win Dr Simon was under suspension and unable to practise for 7 weeks, and this has seriously damaged his reputation and business.
In the meantime, Dr Simon’s legal costs have mounted up: to date he has had to pay about $160,000 for his own defence, and at this stage it is not clear how much of this might be covered by his insurance provider.
Despite obtaining a stay, this situation is only temporary: although he is now practising again, the regulator’s decision to suspend him under the ‘immediate action’ laws is still under appeal in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, and may be reinstated. And even if his appeal is successful, the regulator is still investigating these historical events and that may result in another decision to sanction him.
All of this means further significant cost to the Floreani family of perhaps hundreds of thousands of dollars, which could easily be avoided if the regulator is willing accept Dr Simon’s reassurances (which he gave under oath in the legal proceedings) that he will abide by the guidelines and statements that govern him as a health professional, instead of forcing him to challenge its decisions in extremely expensive legal battles.
I cannot help but feel that the regulator in this case is being unfairly heavy-handed with a practitioner who has only ever had his patients’ best interests and wellbeing at heart and provided the utmost care for them and their families, and so I sincerely ask you, if you are able, to please donate towards Dr Simon Floreani’s legal costs to help him keep fighting to maintain his practice, his patients’ well being and his family’s livelihood.
Dr Simon recently had his chiropractic registration suspended under the ‘immediate action’ laws that apply to health practitioners, even though the two events on which the suspension was based took place nearly a year beforehand, and even though there was no complaint by any of Dr Simon’s patients that he had caused harm to any person. The two events were:
1. In October 2016, Dr Simon was interviewed online by an American chiropractor for a Californian conference and in that wide-ranging interview there was a mention by the interviewer of the Australian Government’s mandatory vaccination changes. Dr Simon made some comments in response that were considered by the regulator to be anti-vaccination in nature.
2. In December 2016, Dr Simon allowed his practices premises to be used for the screening of a film ‘Vaxxed’ which neither he nor any of his staff attended. The regulator considers this film to be anti-vaccination in nature.
The regulator notified Dr Simon in late December 2016 of its concerns about these two events, and reminded Dr Simon of the statements and guidelines it had issued which prohibit chiropractors from displaying, promoting or providing materials, information or advice which is anti-vaccination in nature, or from making public statements discouraging vaccination. From that point on, Dr Simon made no further public comments about vaccination and did not provide any patients with anti-vaccination material. He also tried to have the interview taken down from YouTube but has been unsuccessful, since it was published by an unrelated person.
Despite this, at the end of September last year, with only one week’s notice (and while he was travelling overseas), Dr Simon had his registration suspended because he supposedly represented a “serious” risk to his patients and it was “necessary” to take immediate action.
Only after a recent legal process has he and his legal team managed to get a ‘stay’ of his suspension, but despite this win Dr Simon was under suspension and unable to practise for 7 weeks, and this has seriously damaged his reputation and business.
In the meantime, Dr Simon’s legal costs have mounted up: to date he has had to pay about $160,000 for his own defence, and at this stage it is not clear how much of this might be covered by his insurance provider.
Despite obtaining a stay, this situation is only temporary: although he is now practising again, the regulator’s decision to suspend him under the ‘immediate action’ laws is still under appeal in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, and may be reinstated. And even if his appeal is successful, the regulator is still investigating these historical events and that may result in another decision to sanction him.
All of this means further significant cost to the Floreani family of perhaps hundreds of thousands of dollars, which could easily be avoided if the regulator is willing accept Dr Simon’s reassurances (which he gave under oath in the legal proceedings) that he will abide by the guidelines and statements that govern him as a health professional, instead of forcing him to challenge its decisions in extremely expensive legal battles.
I cannot help but feel that the regulator in this case is being unfairly heavy-handed with a practitioner who has only ever had his patients’ best interests and wellbeing at heart and provided the utmost care for them and their families, and so I sincerely ask you, if you are able, to please donate towards Dr Simon Floreani’s legal costs to help him keep fighting to maintain his practice, his patients’ well being and his family’s livelihood.
Organizer
Tamara Rattray
Organizer
Cocoroc VIC
