Based on coverage from Montreal Gazette, EurekAlert!, Yahoo News, Mirage News, and Scienmag.
Canada’s medical regulators are being pressed to open the curtains wider on sexual and gender-based misconduct by physicians, after a major new study found inconsistent public reporting and a worrying rate of repeat offences.
Researchers behind the study, published Monday in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ), built a cross-country database using media stories, legal decisions, and provincial college postings. They identified 208 physicians involved in cases between 2019 and 2024, linked to 689 victims. Most victims were women or girls (585), and at least 40 were children.
CMAJ study details 689 victims nationwide
The researchers tracked cases involving “sex or gender-based violence, harassment or discrimination.” The most common category was sexual-boundary or sexual-misconduct complaints (75 cases, 36%), followed by sexual assault (65 cases, 32%). The study notes that definitions can differ between jurisdictions, which makes apples-to-apples comparisons harder.
The authors also stress their dataset is incomplete because it relies on publicly available information. Dr. Shannon Ruzycki, one of the study authors and a physician at the University of Calgary’s Cumming School of Medicine, said under-reporting is likely. She pointed to barriers that keep victims quiet: confusing complaint processes, fears they will not be taken seriously, and uncertainty about whether an experience crossed a line or was “just part of a normal medical examination.”
Gaps in provincial college transparency
A key finding: some complaints the researchers located in legal records or media coverage did not appear on physician college disciplinary websites.
That matters because, without consistent and accessible information, it is difficult to judge whether current disciplinary approaches actually protect patients. The study argues that inconsistent reporting “restricts assessment” of strategies meant to stop misconduct and prevent future harm.
The authors suggest regulatory bodies consider public input into how they report cases, aiming for transparency while still respecting due process and physician privacy. They also float the idea of a national registry that lists incidents by type, includes explanations and outcomes, and records disciplinary actions.
Repeat offences raise questions about sanctions
The statistic that seemed to alarm the researchers most: about 30% of the physicians in the study had a previous complaint for sexual misconduct, either through their regulator or police. Ruzycki said that raises a blunt question about whether existing discipline and monitoring actually stops people from reoffending. The study notes this repeat-behaviour rate is broadly consistent with U.S. data.
The study also estimates the 208 physicians represent about 0.2% of doctors registered to practise in Canada. Even if that seems small, the victim count is not: 689 people tied to the cases researchers were able to find.
Quebec laws and database seen as stronger
The research flags that only four provinces have legislation defining sexual misconduct and imposing mandatory minimum penalties: Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, and Prince Edward Island.
Ruzycki singled out Quebec’s approach for praise. Quebec moved early, adopting legislation in 2017 that sets minimum penalties, especially for physicians who have sexual contact with patients. She said the province also rejected the idea that these relationships can be “consensual” given the power imbalance.
The researchers also praised the Collège des médecins du Québec for maintaining one of the most comprehensive disciplinary databases in the country. Quebec’s regulatory transparency has been a long-running issue in public debate, including past reporting by The Gazette about a pediatric surgeon convicted in the early 1990s who later continued practising.
Culture of silence and workplace misconduct
A CMAJ editorial by editor-in-chief Dr. Kirsten Patrick argues secrecy around physician misconduct supports a “culture of silence,” especially when the target is another health-care worker. She wrote that quiet handling may be framed as protecting trust in the profession, but can leave victims feeling the system protects reputations over people.
The study’s authors also found relatively few cases in their dataset where the complainant was a physician or other medical worker, which doesn’t line up with broader survey data. A 2024 survey of 454 Canadian physicians found one in five women reported sexual abuse, harassment or misconduct at work, and 60% did not complain, citing fear of retaliation or a belief nothing would change.
Alberta’s college, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta (CPSA), responded by pointing to its disciplinary posting rules, tribunal structure (half public members), mandatory sanctions for sexual misconduct, and a victim support fund, saying it will review the study and consider recommendations.
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