{"id":148917,"date":"2023-01-19T13:48:51","date_gmt":"2023-01-19T12:48:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=148917"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:26:36","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:26:36","slug":"erasmus-mc-microbiologist-rightly-fired-after-criticism-on-covid-vaccines-and-pcr-tests","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2023\/01\/19\/erasmus-mc-microbiologist-rightly-fired-after-criticism-on-covid-vaccines-and-pcr-tests\/","title":{"rendered":"Erasmus MC microbiologist rightly fired after criticism on Covid vaccines and PCR tests"},"content":{"rendered":"

A microbiologist at Erasmus MC was rightly dismissed last year, the court recently ruled. The man publicly expressed criticism of the COVID-19 vaccination policy and PCR testing. According to Erasmus MC, he acted negligently during his own research into the tests, jeopardised relationships with colleagues and discredited them. The subdistrict court in Rotterdam has found the dismissal to be justified.<\/p>\n

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The researcher had been employed at Erasmus MC since 2003. He was dismissed on 21 June 2022. The reasons for dismissal included that he \u2018systematically\u2019 failed to abide by agreements, used the hospital\u2019s name and logo without permission, and did not act openly and transparently towards colleagues. Erasmus MC also accused the man of acting in violation of academic integrity on several occasions.<\/p>\n

Fired on the spot<\/h2>

The conflict between the microbiologist and the hospital arose due to the man\u2019s study into the effectiveness of the PCR test, which is used to diagnose infection with COVID-19. He went public about the research in a YouTube programme hosted by a \u2018citizen journalist\u2019 before the study were completed. Erasmus MC says he did not communicate about the research in the appropriate manner. Even prior to his dismissal, he had already been relieved of certain teaching duties, such as lectures on the DNA technology CRISPR-CAS, his field of expertise.<\/p>\n

The court agreed with the hospital\u2019s argument that the man should be dismissed immediately. According to the judge, he did not follow up on promises to de-escalate the situation and did not demonstrate good employeeship, among other things by failing to share documentation about his research with colleagues. The court reproached the researcher for \u2018seriously culpable conduct\u2019 and therefore rejected a transition payment for him.<\/p>\n\n\t

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