By Michelle Gamage, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Tyee
In late November of last year, the B.C. Conservative caucus voted to appoint Jody Toor, newly elected MLA for Langley-Willowbrook, as caucus chair.
As caucus chair Toor will oversee meetings of Conservative MLAs when they meet to discuss their policies and strategies as the official Opposition party in the legislature.
In a statement released on Instagram to announce the position, Toor wrote, “In this role, I will strive to lead with integrity, transparency, and a deep commitment to the values we hold dear.”
Toor, a newcomer to politics, brings with her a seemingly impressive background in health care and academia.
Depending on where you look online, Toor has a double PhD, is a medical doctor and is a board-certified integrative medicine doctor in two countries. According to her LinkedIn profile, she was most recently hired as chief medical officer for a company running clinical trials testing psilocybin in assisted group therapy sessions and has started several of her own businesses.
But her lauded experience and expertise come with a big caveat.
In short: “She’s a quack,” says Joe Schwarcz, director of the McGill University Office for Science and Society and professor of chemistry, who works to address medical misinformation.
“A quack is someone who pretends to have information or knowledge that they don’t actually have,” Schwarcz told The Tyee. The word comes from an old Dutch term, “quack salver,” referring to a person who sold cure-all salves that didn’t work.
And Toor is a “quack” because she doesn’t actually have the medical education or credentials she is claiming to have, Schwarcz said.
Timothy Caulfield, a professor of law at the University of Alberta who researches medical and health misinformation and representation of science and health in the public sphere, agrees with Schwarcz’s assessment.
While Toor represents herself as a professional, she in fact only holds a “degree in pseudoscience from a questionable institute,” Caulfield said.
“Her goal, I think, is to create this impression that she meets professional regulations and that she’s professionally licensed from a respected entity. I think that is a stretch,” he added.
The Tyee sent multiple media requests to Toor’s Conservative Party of BC email address and to the media contact for the Conservatives requesting interviews, asking for clarification about Toor’s credentials and offering Toor the opportunity to comment, but did not hear back from Toor or the party.
Schwarcz and Caulfield aren’t the only people questioning Toor’s credentials.
During the election last fall, CKNW radio host Jas Johal dug up and tweeted about a Reddit post from two years ago when Toor was running for Surrey council with the Surrey Forward party.
That post, and two others from the same user, allege, citing examples, that Toor has repeatedly misrepresented herself professionally as an accomplished academic and medical professional.
On Oct. 16, three days before B.C. went to the polls for the provincial election, the BC NDP shared a video on Instagram of Dr. Reece Schemmer, a Langley doctor, criticizing Toor’s misrepresentation of herself and her education.
That same day, the Hospital Employees’ Union filed a complaint with the College of Complementary Health Professionals of BC asking for Toor to be investigated for her repeated representation of herself as a medical doctor.
Despite the mounting criticism, Toor was elected as the MLA for Langley-Willowbrook three days later.
A double PhD?
A breakdown of Toor’s credentials, as far as The Tyee could find online, are below.
Let’s start with the double PhD.
Toor’s profile on the Conservative Party of BC website says that she “holds a double PhD in Doctor of Integrative Medicine and Doctor of Humanitarian Services with the Board of Integrative Medicine.”
Her Conservative profile doesn’t say where she went to school, and her LinkedIn profile similarly doesn’t reference a school.
Toor worked for a company called Conscious Mind Labs from January 2021 to February 2022. On that company profile she was listed as the company’s chief medical officer and noted as having a “doctorate and PhD in integrative medicine” from Quantum University in Hawaii.
Quantum University is a non-accredited university, which means it is not officially recognized as a school. Quantum provides “100 per cent self-paced online holistic medicine” learning. It also has its own lengthy disclaimer page.
Schwarcz calls Quantum University a “diploma mill.”
“The only qualification you have to have is the ability to pay,” he said.
Caulfield researched the school for an upcoming book; he uses it “as an example of quackery and degrees in quackery.”
“We’re not really talking about a sophisticated, rigorous, science-based educational experience,” he added.
“Quacks love to use sciencey-sounding words, and ‘quantum’ is the king of all vague pseudoscience words,” Caulfield said. “They’re trying to piggyback on the real, exciting and very complex field of quantum physics.”
To earn an actual PhD requires four to six years of postgraduate work with original research, Schwarcz said.
So-called diploma mills instead have people fill out forms, watch some online presentations and take a “perfunctory test,” Schwarcz said. “But essentially it’s just a money-making thing. They don’t teach you anything that comes anywhere near a proper schooling.”
“To use a degree from there, in front of your name, is ridiculous,” Schwarcz said.
Unlike students at accredited universities, Quantum students’ only path to a “doctorate and PhD in integrative medicine” is to “upgrade” their “bachelor in holistic health science and masters in natural or integrative medicine” from Quantum University.
Further, while Toor’s Conservative profile page says she has a “double PhD in doctor of integrative medicine and doctor of humanitarian services,” Quantum University’s website does not seem to mention a PhD in “humanitarian services” — though it does say there’s a “humanitarian program [that] allows students to give back hours of humanitarian service in exchange for higher tuition.”
The Tyee could not find any institutions online that granted PhDs in “humanitarian services.”
An MD?
Toor has also repeatedly claimed she has a doctor of medicine, abbreviated MD — the credential for being a medical doctor.
To become a medical doctor in Canada takes a lot of hard work, time and effort.
Although it’s not mandatory, most people first need to obtain an undergraduate degree to show their high academic achievement before being accepted into medical school, says Dr. Sanjiv Gandhi, a pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon and former chief of cardiac surgery at BC Children’s Hospital. Gandhi was a BC Green Party candidate for a short time this spring.
Medical school is “an intensive four years,” Gandhi said. “Most places have two years of very onerous classroom didactic work, followed by two years of clinical rotations in hospitals.”
After graduating, you’re an MD — but you’re still not qualified to practise medicine. An MD then needs to do at least a two-year residency program to train to be something like a family doctor, or up to 12 years of post-medical school to be a heart surgeon, Gandhi said.
Only then can a doctor register with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC and start practising medicine.
A 2006 Vancouver Sun article about Toor’s wealthy father mentioned that she was attending the University of British Columbia’s medical school, but there is no record of her completing her studies there.
Toor does not mention a UBC education or any other medical school or residency placement on her LinkedIn or other professional online profiles.
Donald Gauvreau, the founder of Conscious Mind Labs, where Toor worked for a year, says Toor told him she studied medicine at an international school in the Caribbean.
Another online profile of Toor says she did a fellowship at the University of Miami. The Tyee contacted the school to confirm this but did not hear back.
Quantum University’s disclaimer page specifically says the credentials it gives out “are NOT equivalent or comparable to a doctor of medicine degree (MD) or a doctor of naturopathy degree (ND).”
But Toor has represented herself repeatedly as having an MD.
One 2014 press release about skin care products introduces Toor as “Jody Bal MD, Managing Director” of the “Dermix Institute of Aesthetic Medicine.”
“A doctor of medicine and fellow in aesthetic medicine, anti-aging and orthomolecular medicine, Bal is dedicated to helping her patients look and feel great,” the release continues.
Bal is Toor’s maiden name.
The 2014 press release says the Dermix Institute of Aesthetic Medicine was founded by “Anita Fofie, M.D.” In 2015, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC got the B.C. Supreme Court to issue a permanent injunction against Fofie for unlawful practice of medicine.
According to the 2015 court ruling, Fofie “held herself out as a doctor” and offered Botox and facial filler injections, which she was not allowed to do.
Fofie did graduate from medical school but was kicked out of her residency and was not registered with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC.
Toor’s LinkedIn profile says she then worked as chief medical officer for Conscious Mind Labs from January 2021 to February 2022.
Conscious Mind Labs is a “revenue-focused and research-driven alternative medicine and mental health company” that uses psilocybin, the psychedelic ingredient in magic mushrooms, to offer “psychedelic therapy.”
Founder Gauvreau says Toor represented herself as having graduated from medical school and having done a medical school or research fellowship at the University of Miami, although she was not licensed to practise medicine in Canada. Gauvreau says she was hired to find wellness professionals to work at the company’s Vancouver clinic, and not in a medical role.
A March 2021 press release about the company refers to “Dr. Jody Toor, an MD and board-certified integrative medicine doctor.”
Misusing the MD title
The University of Alberta’s Caulfield says it is “very problematic” that Toor uses the MD title, which is “clearly meant to reference being a medical doctor.”
“Doctor” is a protected title in B.C. and misusing it can have consequences.
By law only registrants of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC, members of certain regulated health professions (podiatrists, dentists, naturopaths, chiropractors and optometrists) and people with “appropriate academic or educational designations” like a PhD are allowed to call themselves “doctors” in B.C.
Anyone not currently registered with their related regulatory college is “expressly prohibited” from using the title “doctor” or any abbreviation of the title, in any language, to describe their work or imply they are registered with the college, according to Section 12.1 of the Health Professions Act.
Breaking that law can result in up to six months in jail and/or a $2,000 fine.
The Tyee contacted the Langley RCMP to ask if any complaints had been made against Toor for allegedly misrepresenting herself as an MD, but did not hear back by press time.
The Wayback Machine, which is a website that works to archive snapshots of the internet, first captured a snapshot of Toor’s Conservative Party of BC profile on Jan. 12, 2024. Then and currently, Toor’s profile came with a disclaimer, noting she is “non-prescribing and is not registered with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia.”
But that doesn’t get her off the hook, Schwarcz said.
“You can say your pet dog isn’t prescribing and isn’t registered with the college,” he said. “That’s just meaningless.”
The Hospital Employees’ Union declined an interview to discuss their complaint about Toor to the College of Complementary Health Professionals of BC.
A spokesperson for the College of Complementary Health Professionals of BC told The Tyee it would not be investigating Toor because she has never been registered with the college or any of its predecessor regulatory colleges, and, to the best of its knowledge, she “has never been a registrant of any health regulatory college in B.C.”
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC would be responsible for taking action against members of the public who misuse titles like “medical doctor” because they are the regulatory body that can assign that title, the spokesperson added.
In an email, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC confirmed that Toor is not a registrant and is therefore not licensed to practise medicine in B.C. It said it could not confirm if Toor was being investigated because of privacy laws.
Pediatric heart surgeon Gandhi said he wouldn’t comment on Toor’s case specifically, but he did say that, in general, pretending to be a doctor can lead to medical misinformation being spread more easily.
“Any person who touts themselves as a medical professional, specifically a medical doctor who is not credentialed and not licensed, is misleading the public into potentially taking advice or counsel from a person that isn’t credentialed to do that,” Gandhi said.
A ‘board-certified’ integrative medicine doctor in two countries?
Toor’s Conservative Party of BC profile says she is registered with the Board of Integrative Medicine, and her Conscious Mind Labs profile said she was registered in Canada and the United States.
Integrative medicine is “mostly the incorporation of what amounts to quackery into proper medicine,” Schwarcz said.
When integrative medicine is practised by actual physicians it can mean they’re willing to combine evidence-based treatment with things that are not evidence-based, such as reiki, herbal treatments, acupuncture or yoga, he said.
These treatments range from “not totally bogus” to “absurd,” but they can “serve as a placebo, which can help people sort of cope with their situation,” Schwarcz said.
But Toor is not a physician “going outside the boundaries,” because she is not a doctor and therefore “doesn’t have any boundaries,” Schwarcz said.
Toor’s integrative medicine doctor title appears to be related to her “doctorate and PhD in integrative medicine” from Quantum University.
Quantum University’s website says graduates of the doctorate and PhD in integrative medicine qualify for certification with the Board of Integrative Medicine.
Looking at the board’s website, McGill’s Schwarcz pointed to how “it’s not a recognized, legitimate body.”
“Anyone can join,” he said.
The Board of Integrative Medicine’s criteria for certification say that anyone from medical professionals with PhDs to health coaches can apply. Someone with no formal training can join, “write a journey paper” and become a full member the following year.
Toor as a political candidate
Toor started her provincial election campaign in December 2023 as “Dr.” Jody Toor. While she dropped the title roughly halfway through her campaign, her background in medicine continued to be referred to.
A BC Conservatives Facebook post from December 2023 announced that “Dr. Jody Toor,” a candidate with “medical expertise,” was running for Surrey-Cloverdale (she later changed to and was elected in Langley-Willowbrook).
In May 2024 Toor posted pictures to her Conservative candidate Instagram account showing her with a lanyard that identified her as “Dr. Jody Toor” with the Conservative Party of BC at a gala dinner with party leader John Rustad.
In an interview with Media Waves Live posted Sept. 12, 2024, Toor said she attended medical school in the United States.
At a campaign event the next day she was introduced as a “physician,” although her candidate sign no longer used the “Dr.” title.
In a YouTube recording from that night, Toor says, “I have a background in community service and health care with a PhD in integrative medicine. In this field we focus on the overall wellness of individuals, understanding that wellness is more than just the absence of disease. Our well-being is greatly influenced by the government policies, which is why I am dedicated to ensuring a government that prioritizes physical and mental health.”
During the campaign and shortly after it, Toor was still listed as Conscious Mind Labs’ chief medical officer, with the titles of MD, IMD and PhD following her name.
Conscious Mind Labs co-founder Gauvreau told The Tyee his company lost control of this website in the spring of 2022 and has not been able to take the website or web page down.
Elections BC reported Toor won her riding in a close race, pulling ahead with 48 per cent of the vote, closely tailed by the BC NDP incumbent Andrew Mercier, who got 44 per cent of the vote.
When The Tyee contacted the BC Greens to ask what accountability they’d like to see regarding Toor’s seemingly misrepresented credentials, party leader Sonia Furstenau declined to comment specifically on Toor but said it’s a political party’s role to vet candidates and “ensure people on the ballot are going to be effective representatives for their community.”
“I know that for our party vetting is very important and responsibility is very important. So I guess the question is, is it for that party?” Furstenau added.
The Tyee similarly contacted the BC NDP with an interview request and was sent a statement from MLA Mable Elmore.
“It’s concerning to learn of even more examples of Ms. Toor pretending to be a doctor to advance her career and make money. It’s also disappointing that she has refused to apologize or even address her choices. The people she represents deserve much better. It’s time for her to be publicly accountable for her actions,” Elmore said.
“John Rustad and his MLAs knew that Ms. Toor had pretended to be a doctor when they chose her to chair their caucus,” Elmore continued. “Picking a fake doctor for this important leadership role is disrespectful to the trained doctors and other health professionals who care for British Columbians every day.”
A larger trend of ‘charlatans’ gaining power
Schwarcz, Caulfield and Gandhi all pointed to the recent U.S. election as further evidence of what Caulfield called the “politicization of health misinformation.”
South of the border, figures with limited or no medical expertise have been nominated to lead important medical institutions. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been nominated to be U.S. secretary of health. Jay Bhattacharya, who went to medical school but never did a residency or was qualified to practise clinical medicine, has been nominated to lead the National Institutes of Health.
Dr. Mehmet Oz, who was a cardiothoracic surgeon before hosting a daytime talk show and “promot[ing] sham diet pills and ineffective COVID-19 treatments,” has been nominated to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Bhattacharya’s opinions are presented as if they’re from a fully practising physician, Gandhi said. Oz hasn’t practised medicine for years and has instead veered into spreading medical misinformation, and RFK Jr. “has zero medical credentials,” he added.
“RFK Jr. has done so much harm in the context of health discourse and he’s creating this normalization of health misinformation,” Caulfield said. “It’s disastrous on so many levels. It normalizes pseudoscience and clouds the ability for people to make informed decisions by elevating untrue and unproven therapies.”
The ultimate danger is people turning away from science-based medical care, Schwarcz said.
The more normalized pseudoscience becomes, the harder it will be “for policymakers and regulators to respond to this kind of harmful nonsense,” Caulfield said.
Having non-medical, pseudoscience-friendly politicians can also impact what evidence-based care is available, Gandhi said.
He pointed to Oz, who will oversee Medicare, which provides federal health insurance for people 65 and older or people with certain disabilities, and Medicaid, a joint federal and state program that helps cover medical costs for certain people with limited income.
The New York Times has written about Oz’s conflicting relationship with vaccines, sometimes encouraging them and other times criticizing inoculation schedules.
“If he said vaccines shouldn’t be covered by Medicare or Medicaid, that means nobody has vaccine coverage. It doesn’t mean they can’t get them; they’d just have to pay for it,” Gandhi said. Medicare and Medicaid cover a little over half of the U.S. population, he added.
Which is why it’s more important now than ever to identify, criticize and push back at “quacks” who have gotten into politics, Schwarcz said.
