Norway opens supervisory case after doctor advised patient to pray to God

A Norwegian doctor’s advice that a patient pray to God to recover has prompted a supervisory case by the county governor in Rogaland.

The patient notified the Norwegian Board of Health Supervision during the summer, alleging inadequate follow-up at a medical centre, Stavanger Aftenblad reported. The patient said the general practitioner claimed that several serious illnesses had been cured through prayer before recommending nightly prayer.

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We ask that the general practitioner review the complaint to identify possible points he can improve in his professional practice as a doctor

The Board of Health Supervision concluded that the medical care had not caused very serious harm or death. The matter therefore fell outside the notification scheme for serious incidents, but the board sent it to the County Governor of Rogaland for further review.

In a letter to the medical centre, the county governor asked the doctor to examine the complaint and identify possible areas for improvement in his professional practice. The doctor said he did not remember how the subject arose, but wrote that he asked whether the patient had a faith. After the patient replied that he was Christian, the doctor said he expressed his belief in the power of prayer. He later apologized to the patient.

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But I asked him whether he had any form of faith, to which he replied that he was Christian. Based on this, I said something about my belief in the power of prayer