Dr. Muhammad Siddiq, head of the Islamic Medical Association, has been suspended for 12-months over the ‘offensive and homophobic’ letter sent by him to Pulse, a magazine published for general practitioners.

In his letter, Dr. Siddiq claims gays ‘were the root cause of many sexually transmitted diseases’ and required the ‘stick of law to put them on the right path’.  Such comments, according to Andrew Popat, Chairman of the General Medical Council panel are not in the best interests of his patients, tend to undermine public confidence in the medical profession and bring it into disrepute.

Testifying before the panel, Anthony Lithgow, a journalist with Pulse says in conversation with Dr. Siddiq, the latter confirmed many of the views expressed in the letter, such as, homosexuality should be made illegal, gender reassignment surgery was a waste of money and gays ‘prey on society’.

Apologizing to his employers - Walsall PCT Primary Care Trusts PTC), Dr Siddiq denies writing the letter, putting it down to a ‘cynical spoof’ played on him by his son, who got him to sign the letter and then sent it to Pulse.  Rather Dr. Siddiq says, in his original draft of the letter, he has asked for and supported better treatment for gay patients.

Tendering his apology to PTC, Dr. Siddiq writes: “I categorically and unreservedly apologise for the hurt and offence I may have caused to anyone who may have read my letter.  I have practised as a GP for more than 30-years and have never discriminated on any grounds.  I would never refuse any treatment because of someone’s sexuality.  I just cannot understand how or why I could have said this in my letter.”