====== Kashif Pirzada ======

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Dr. **Kashif Pirzada** is an emergency doctor and entrepreneur in Ontario, Canada. He is an elected district representative on the [[College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario]] (CPSO) and has frequently appeared on legacy media as a [[COVID-19 pandemic]] "expert".

===== Education =====

Pirzada graduated from the [[University of Toronto]] and was given the school’s Arbor Award in 2019.((University of Toronto. (2019). //Kashif Pirzada. University of Toronto Alumni.// Retrieved November 30, 2021, from https://alumni.utoronto.ca/events-and-programs/awards/arbor-award/recipients/2019/kashif-pirzada))

===== Affiliations =====

==== College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario ====

Pirzada is an “Elected Professional Member” of the the [[College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario]] for Electoral District 5, elected in December 2020.((Copps, B. (2020, December 1). //Election Results.// eDialogue. Retrieved November 30, 2021, from https://archive.ph/9svfi)) ((Ronnie. (2021, May 13). //Meet Kashif Pirzada: Shilling For More Lockdown Measures, While He Has Interests On The Side.// Canuck Law. Retrieved December 2, 2021, from https://archive.ph/3Gp1X)) 

==== Conquer COVID-19 ====

Pirzada is associated with [[Conquer COVID-19]], a non-governmental organization (NGO) that sold COVID-related merchandise including t-shirts and hats to raise money for [[personal protective equipment]] (PPE) “such as masks, gloves, and gowns, and other supplies that are essential in treating patients and minimizing the spread of the virus.”((Conquer COVID-19. (2020). //Featured Products.// Retrieved May 12, 2020, from https://archive.md/UMpvr)) ((Conquer COVID-19. (2020). //Meet Our Team.// Retrieved May 12, 2020, from https://archive.md/hF7Ud)) ((Ronnie. (2020, May 12). //CV #17: ConquerCovid19, The IDRF, And Other “Covid” Groups Springing Up.// Canuck Law. Retrieved December 2, 2021, from https://canucklaw.ca/cv-17-conquercovid19-the-idrf-and-other-covid-groups-springing-up/)) 

==== Critical Drugs Coalition ====

Pirzada is also a founder of the [[Critical Drugs Coalition]] (CDC), a group lobbying for wider access to (and increased funding for) certain pharmaceuticals.((Healthy Debate. (2021, February 18). //Kashif Pirzada.// Retrieved December 1, 2021, from https://healthydebate.ca/contributor/kashif-pirzada/)) Specifically, the group cites shortages in [[pharmaceutical_products:ketamine]], [[pharmaceutical_products:fentanyl]], [[pharmaceutical_products:midazolam]], [[pharmaceutical_products:propofol]] and [[pharmaceutical_products:morphine]] - powerful sedative and painkiller [[drugs]] that the group alleges are “desperately needed in critical care settings in the fight against [[COVID-19]]”. 

This is deeply disturbing on a number of levels. First of all, there is a staggering [[opioid crisis]] that the [[Government of Canada]] describes as “one of the most serious public health crises in Canada's recent history,” attributed in large part to contamination of the illicit drug supply with fentanyl.((Health Canada. (2021, June 23). //Modelling opioid-related deaths during the COVID-19 outbreak.// Government of Canada. Retrieved December 1, 2021, from https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/opioids/data-surveillance-research/modelling-opioid-overdose-deaths-covid-19.html)) As expected, mortality data from across the country “show a worrying increase in opioid-related harms and deaths since the beginning of the [[covid-19_pandemic|COVID-19 outbreak]].” This has been observed in Canada as well as the United States.((Baumgartner, J. C., & Radley, D. C. (2021, March 25). //The Spike in Drug Overdose Deaths During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Policy Options to Move Forward.// Commonwealth Fund. Retrieved December 1, 2021, from https://www.commonwealthfund.org/blog/2021/spike-drug-overdose-deaths-during-covid-19-pandemic-and-policy-options-move-forward))

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Additionally, healthcare staff in the United Kingdom have been accused of causing substantial excess deaths through overprescription of midazolam, potentially amounting to medical malpractice.((Fuller, A. (2020, July 12). //Care homes accused of using powerful sedatives to make coronavirus victims die more quickly as use. . .// The Sun. Retrieved December 1, 2021, from https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/12100515/care-homes-accused-sedatives-coronavirus-die-quickly/)) Legal action is underway in the wake of a growing number of whistleblowers and testimonies alleging intentional or negligent death by “misuse of sedatives”, primarily midazolam.((The Exposé. (2021, June 21). //The Evidence - “You must stay at home, to protect the NHS, so they can give Midazolam to the Elderly and tell you they are Covid Deaths.”// Retrieved December 1, 2021, from https://dailyexpose.uk/2021/06/13/stay-at-home-protect-the-nhs-give-midazolam-to-the-elderly-and-tell-you-they-are-covid-deaths/)) ((Cook, S. (2021, November 8). //The UK Midazolam murders – update on Legal progress.// The Liberty Beacon. Retrieved December 1, 2021, from https://www.thelibertybeacon.com/the-uk-midazolam-murders-update-on-legal-progress/)) The number of prescriptions for the drug doubled in April 2020 compared to the prior months, but its use in COVID-19 is suspect because of its effects; “Midazolam depresses respiration and it hastens death. It changes end-of-life care into [[euthanasia]]."((Adams, S., & Bancroft, H. (2020, July 12). //Number of prescriptions for the drug midazolam doubled during height of the pandemic.// Daily Mail. Retrieved December 1, 2021, from https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8514081/Number-prescriptions-drug-midazolam-doubled-height-pandemic.html)) ((Deevoy, J. (2021, July 14). //MIDAZOLAM- The scandal that cannot be ignored.// Unity News Network. Retrieved December 1, 2021, from https://unitynewsnetwork.co.uk/midazolam-the-scandal-that-cannot-be-ignored/))

==== Curadiv ====

Pirzada described building a startup called Curadiv.((Eventbrite. (2021, May 20). //Think With ABD - Are We Ready for the Future of Healthcare?// Retrieved December 2, 2021, from https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/think-with-abd-are-we-ready-for-the-future-of-healthcare-registration-151418814751))

==== EasyFit Inc. ====

Pirzada is the CEO of EasyFit Inc., a “social fitness marketplace and platform for online exercise prescription.” For doctors, it describes itself as “a platform that allows them to prescribe and monitor evidence-based exercises to their patients using our intelligent exercise prescription algorithm, without resorting to opioids and other dangerous therapies.”((//EasyFit Inc.// F6S. Retrieved December 2, 2021, from https://www.f6s.com/geteasy.fit)) EasyFit is a business venture that would benefit from increased interest in at-home activity, which resulted from lockdown measures that closed gyms, for which Pirzada advocates.((Krans, B. (2020, March 13). //How to Exercise at Home If You’re Avoiding the Gym During the COVID-19 Outbreak.// Healthline. Retrieved December 2, 2021, from https://www.healthline.com/health-news/exercise-at-home-to-avoid-gym-during-coronavirus-outbreak#What-fitness-centers-are-doing))

==== Humber River Hospital ====

Pirzada has hospital privileges at [[Humber River Hospital]], where he practices emergency medicine.((College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario. //Kashif Pirzada - Doctor Details.// Retrieved December 1, 2021, from https://doctors.cpso.on.ca/DoctorDetails/K-Pirzada/0210693-85708))

==== Masks4Canada ====

Pirzada is Co-Chair of [[Masks4Canada]], an organization that has lobbied Provincial and Federal governments to impose mandatory masking, testing, vaccination, travel restrictions and isolation.((The Orca. //Kashif Pirzada Archives.// Retrieved December 1, 2021, from https://theorca.ca/contributor/kashif-pirzada/)) ((Masks4Canada. //Our Team.// Retrieved November 20, 2020, from https://archive.ph/2osqm)) The group proposes exercising influence “under an order or regulation” or by withholding federal funds for noncompliant groups.((Masks4Canada. (2021, April 12). //Letter to our Prime Minister, Premiers, Ministers of Health, and Chief Medical Officers.// Canuck Law. Retrieved December 1, 2021, from https://canucklaw.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Masks4Canada-National-Standard-Letter-Apr-12-2021.pdf)) The scientific literature cited for their policies is outdated, flimsy and misleading.((Masks4Canada. (2020). //Scientific Literature.// Retrieved December 1, 2021, from https://masks4canada.org/current-information/scientific-literature/))

Pirzada wrote a separate letter to [[York Region]] Councillors to lobby for these measures to be implemented as bylaws, where he states that “there is very little controversy over the science of masking in the medical community,” though he acknowledges conflicting advice and disagreements over “the efficacy of cloth masks.” He advocates against waiting for evidence of their effectiveness, and insists the Councillors dismiss any scientific sources that raise concerns about mask wearing as “fringe and mostly discredited sources”.((Pirzada, K., MD, CCFP-EM. (2020, July 8). //Letter to York Region.// York Publishing. Retrieved December 1, 2021, from https://yorkpublishing.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=13958))


==== McMaster University ====

Pirzada is an Assistant Clinical Professor (Adjunct) in Family Medicine in the Faculty of Health Sciences at [[McMaster University]].((McMaster University. //Kashif Pirzada - McMaster Experts.// Retrieved November 30, 2021, from https://experts.mcmaster.ca/display/pirzadak))

==== Ontario Consent and Capacity Board ====

Pirzada is a member of the [[Ontario Consent and Capacity Board]], listed as a Physician Member with a term of January 11, 2017 until January 10, 2019.((Consent and Capacity Board. (2017, December 31). //Consent and Capacity Board 2018–2021 Business Plan.// Retrieved December 2, 2021, from http://www.ccboard.on.ca/english/publications/documents/Business%20Plan%202018%20-%202021.pdf))

==== Ontario Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services ====

Pirzada also served as an Investigating Coroner at the [[Ontario Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services]].

==== Raven ====

His other business venture is Raven, a news aggregation app “that collects the best of news and social media in one place.”((Raven [@theRavenApp]. //A free app that collects the best of news and social media in one place. Avoid the noise, follow [Profile].// Accessed December 2, 2021. Twitter. https://twitter.com/theRavenApp)) ((Pirzada, K. [@KashPrime], MD. //Emergency Physician in Toronto, co-founder of @conquercovid19 , #masks4canada, @medscritical ; love history/politics and tech. My startup: [Profile].// Accessed December 2, 2021. Twitter. https://twitter.com/kashprime))

==== Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre ====

Pirzada is employed as an emergency doctor at [[Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre]].((College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario. //Kashif Pirzada - Doctor Details.// Retrieved December 1, 2021, from https://doctors.cpso.on.ca/DoctorDetails/K-Pirzada/0210693-85708)) Sunnybrook is funded by such organizations as Toronto Mayor [[John Tory]], [[:pharmaceutical_companies:AstraZeneca]], [[:pharmaceutical_companies:Pfizer]], [[Canadian National Railway]] (whose primary stakeholder is [[Bill Gates]]), [[:pharmaceutical_companies:Janssen]], the [[University of Toronto]], [[:pharmaceutical_companies:Johnson & Johnson]] and many others.((Sunnybrook Foundation. //Our donors - Your Impact.// Retrieved December 1, 2021, from https://sunnybrook.ca/foundation/your-impact/our-donors-2021.html))

==== University of Toronto ====

Pirzada was employed by the [[University of Toronto]] Faculty of Medicine as a Lecturer from July 2009 until at least May 2020.((Critical Drugs Coalition. (2021). //About Us.// Retrieved December 1, 2021, from https://www.criticaldrugscoalition.ca/about-us)) He also acted as Governor on the Governing Council of the University of Toronto on the executive committee, planning and budget committee, academic appeals and others.((LinkedIn. (2020). //Kashif Pirzada, MD.// Retrieved May 12, 2020, from https://archive.md/1Duas))

==== William Osler Health System ====

Pirzada is employed as an emergency doctor in the [[William Osler Health System]].((College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario. //Kashif Pirzada - Doctor Details.// Retrieved December 1, 2021, from https://doctors.cpso.on.ca/DoctorDetails/K-Pirzada/0210693-85708))

===== Public Statements =====

==== House of Commons ====

On February 22, 2021, Pirzada testified in the [[Canada House of Commons]] to the Standing Committee on Health regarding domestic production of drugs and vaccines. He made several shocking statements regarding the efficacy of [[COVID-19 vaccines]] and the underlying [[gene therapy]] technology:((Standing Committee on Heath. (2021, February 22). //Evidence - HESA (43-2) - No. 20.// House of Commons of Canada. https://archive.ph/uyUsI))

  * //"We want to provide recommendations for how the federal government can further the goals of mass vaccination..."//
  * //"[[mRNA]] is a new technology that has incredible potency in fighting [[COVID-19]], cancers and possibly other viruses. When I was a lab student 20 years ago, this stuff was science fiction, and the advances made are just incredible. **With virus variants, we all need periodic boosters, possibly for years**, as we do with the flu. We have the expertise, from the testimony we heard earlier, from companies such as [[pharmaceutical_companies:Acuitas_Therapeutics|Acuitas]] and [[pharmaceutical_companies:Providence Therapeutics]] that can make it here. **It is also the promise of second-generation genetic vaccines that can induce longer immunity, and these companies are working on it**, the ones that we spoke to."//
  * //"Another frontline insight is that **some have been able to squeeze extra half doses out the [[pharmaceutical_companies:Moderna]] vials and combine them into a single dose**, but they are being discarded right now because there's **no approval for unorthodox procedures like that. However, in a crisis such this, we should look at any option."**//
  * //"...we are discounting the long-term consequences of even mild COVID-19 infections on younger populations. We should not assume that if they only get mild or moderate illness they're fine. In fact, **15% of them will get what's called “long COVID syndrome”. They'll have memory issues, chronic pain and chronic fatigue, and this will last possibly for years. They won't be able to go to school or work in their jobs. Normally healthy, able-bodied people will have their quality of life ruined and forced onto long-term disability at extreme cost to themselves and their families, and this might even affect children.** Imagine if 15% of our children couldn't taste anything or had chronic pain and were unable to go to school."//
==== Media ====

He is frequently featured as an “expert” speaking authoritatively to Canadian news channels including the state-funded [[CBC News]], [[Business Insider]], [[CTV News]], and [[Zoomer Radio]] about various aspects of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].((Paling, E. (2021, April 24). //More COVID-19 patients dying at home, Ontario coroner says.// CBC News. Retrieved December 2, 2021, from https://archive.ph/oEEQY)) ((Mark, M. (2021, April 3). //Canada’s 3rd wave of COVID-19 is “killing faster and younger” and is fueled by new variants.// Business Insider. Retrieved December 2, 2021, from https://archive.ph/NwjRU)) ((Lee, M. (2021, November 14). //Does a fabric mask provide enough protection against COVID-19? Experts weigh in.// CTV News. Retrieved December 2, 2021, from https://archive.ph/stSYa)) ((Brown, J. (2021, November 15). //DESPITE EQUAL NUMBER OF BREAKTHROUGH COVID CASES, VAST MAJORITY IN ONTARIO ICUs ARE NOT FULLY VACCINATED.// Zoomer Radio AM740. Retrieved December 2, 2021, from https://archive.ph/JiWWT))

==== Social Media ====

  * Tweet: "We are up against the clock now to reach out to the unvaccinated.  Delta requires two doses to be fully effective.  Make no mistake, a new wave is coming. For the hesitant, you've got the next few days to decide how you'll face this awful, terrible virus." - https://archive.ph/X6Bok