Charlie Teo responds to Nine newspaper report accusing him of inappropriate conduct

Charlie Teo has responded to a Nine newspaper report accusing him of inappropriate conduct.

Charlie Teo has issued a statement after a newspaper report accused him of inappropriate conduct and attacking his professionalism. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Neurosurgeon Charlie Teo has responded to a newspaper report on Thursday accusing him of inappropriate conduct and attacking his professionalism.

The article in Nine’s The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age interviewed several unnamed doctors who accused the surgeon of inappropriate actions and gestures while operating. The publications also quoted unnamed colleagues claiming Dr Teo charged excessive fees and performed unnecessary surgeries.

“I am incredibly surprised and tremendously disappointed by the article published today,’’ he said in a statement posted on his website.

“Particularly disturbing was the evident lack of legitimate research, the use of nameless sources, the staggering number of inaccuracies and ultimate failure to provide a fair and balanced story.

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Charlie Teo in his hosting role on SBS show Medicine or Myth. Picture: Supplied

“The publisher has deliberately misstated and misrepresented information in the public domain and has failed to fairly report information that has been conveyed to them over the last several days.

“It’s disappointing that the publisher has chosen to report inaccurately and in such a sensational and biased manner. I have asked my legal team to review the article.’’

Dr Teo said he was “not the first person to be subjected to this type of reporting and I will not be the last’’.

“I am immensely proud of everything that I have achieved professionally as a surgeon in Australia and internationally, and of the work of the Charlie Teo Foundation. I recognise that none of this would have been possible without the support of my amazing team, many of whom who have been with me for many years.

“I would like to thank you all for your ongoing support. I have been inundated with messages of reassurance and for this I am grateful. Rest assured, I will continue the fight against brain cancer, a fight I have dedicated my life to.’’

Charlie Teo. Picture: AAP

Dr Teo came under scrutiny in May after urological surgeon Henry Woo, who is also a professor at the University of Sydney, took to Twitter to criticise the more than 110 GoFundMe campaigns launched to cover Dr Teo’s surgery costs. Professor Woo pointed to a case where $120,000 had been raised for treatment, including up to $80,000 for Dr Teo.

Dr Teo responded saying while Professor Woo had raised an “important issue”, the figures he was quoting were incorrect, adding the disparity between public and private costs and the price of medicine “needs to be discussed”.

In June, Aust­ralian Medical Association president Tony Bartone urged cancer patients who had been quoted prices by Dr Teo to seek a second opinion, as the high-profile surgeon comes under further pressure from colleagues over fees he charges.

Dr Teo went on to make a series­ of extraordinary claims, describin­g the medical establish­ment as “the enemy” and accus­­ing the Royal Austral­asian College of Surgeons of trying­ to “purge him”.

Dr Teo revealed the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission had threatened disciplinary action against him for refusing to accept other neurosurgeons’ clinical decision-making and taking over their patients.