Thomas Borody

Thomas J. Borody (born 1950) is an Australian gastroenterologist.

In the 1980s Borody contributed to development of a treatment for ''Helicobacter pylori''. During the COVID-19 pandemic he became embroiled in controversy for advocating an ivermectin-based purported "cure" for COVID-19 without transparently declaring his financial interest in it.

Biography

Borody was born in 1950 in Kraków, Poland. His father was a Seventh-Day Adventist minister and the family immigrated to Australia when he was ten years old.

Borody completed both his BSc(Med) and later MB BS degrees at the University of New South Wales, graduating in 1974. He studied Tropical Medicine at Sydney University and later gained practical experience in the Solomon Islands in 1978 in general parasitology and the treatment of malaria, tuberculosis and leprosy before working at St Vincent's Hospital. He undertook postgraduate research at Sydney's Garvan Institute of Medical Research, culminating in his MD, then at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. After further research on return to Sydney, he was awarded his PhD and then Doctorate in Science.

In 1984, Borody founded the Centre for Digestive Diseases (CDD) in Five Dock, New South Wales, a private day procedure hospital specialising in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and disorders of the digestive system, with a focus on infective diseases and novel and alternative treatment solutions.

, Borody was a board member of RedHill Biopharma, an Israeli pharmaceutical company. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of New South Wales in 2018.

Peptic ulcers

In the 1980s Borody contributed to development of a treatment for ''Helicobacter pylori'' that has now been superseded. He and his colleagues developed a "triple therapy" combining bismuth, tetracycline and flagyl.

Fecal microbiota transplantation

Borody has used fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) as a treatment for ''Clostridioides difficile'' infection. He has also promoted FMT for other conditions, including irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, but studies have yet to prove conclusively whether the treatment is effective.

COVID-19

In 2020, Borody announced that he had discovered a "cure" for COVID-19: a combination of ivermectin, doxycycline and zinc. In a media interview Borody stated "The biggest thing about this is no one will make money from this".

It later emerged that Topelia Australia, Borody's company, had filed a patent for the drug combination. Borody was publicly accused of not adequately disclosing his conflict of interest. Wendy Lipworth from The University of Sydney's Health Ethics Centre described such behaviour as "blatantly unethical". Borody, via lawyers, denied wrongdoing.

the Australian Government Department of Health says there is "insufficient evidence to recommend ivermectin, doxycycline and zinc (either separately, or in combination) for the prevention or treatment of COVID-19".

RESTRICTIONS ON MEDICAL PRACTICE

The following restrictions on practice are noted on the AHPRA register of medical providers:

1. To submit to an audit of his medical practice, by a random selection of his medical records by a person or persons nominated by the Medical Council of NSW and:
(a) The audit is to be held within 12 months from 22 June 2021 and subsequently as required by the Council.
(b) The auditor is to assess his compliance with good medical record keeping standards and legislative requirements

The auditor(s) should pay particular attention to:

- Consent process

(c) To authorise the auditor to provide the Council with a report on their findings.
(d) To meet all costs associated with the audit and any subsequent reports.

2. These conditions may be altered, varied or removed by the Medical Council of New South Wales and the Medical Council is the appropriate review body for the purposes of Part 8 Division 8 of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (NSW)

3. Sections 125 to 127 of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law are to apply whilst the practitioner’s principal place of practice is anywhere in Australia other than New South Wales, so that a review of these conditions may be conducted by the Medical Board of Australia.

Publications

He has authored over 300 publications and regularly presents at gastroenterology conferences. He is a reviewer for a number of medical journals, including:
* Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology
* World Journal of Gastrointestinal Pharmacology and Therapeutics (Editorial Board)
* American Journal of Gastroenterology
* Digestive Diseases and Sciences Endoscopy
* Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology
* Medical Journal of Australia
* Digestive and Liver Diseases

See also

* Medical ethics
* Science by press conference

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Borody, Thomas
University of New South Wales Medical School alumni
Living people
Australian gastroenterologists
Fellows of the Royal Society of New South Wales
Polish emigrants to Australia
University of New South Wales alumni
1950 births
People from Kraków