Court Upholds Suspension of Gynecologist Guy Rofe's Medical License

The Jerusalem District Court has rejected an appeal by Guy Rofe, a former gynecologist and obstetrician, against a five-year suspension of his medical license. The suspension was initially ordered by retired judge Amnon Strashnov, who serves as the Ministry of Health's commissioner for judicial and disciplinary decisions. This marks the first time an Israeli court has addressed the "privilege against self-incrimination" in relation to medical documentation, ruling that such records are legally mandated and not personal material protected from disclosure.

The court also criticized Rofe for continuing to present himself as a practicing physician despite the Ministry of Health's and the court's decisions. Rofe's license was suspended following accusations of sexual misconduct with patients, which surfaced in the media. After these allegations emerged, Rofe announced he was ceasing his medical practice.

One accuser, a woman who first saw Rofe when he was an army gynecologist, reported that he told her she had a "sexual problem" he could help with, but that the treatment was not covered by military health insurance. He invited her to his private clinic in Tel Aviv, allegedly sending her "strange messages" beforehand and instructing her to keep the appointment secret. The woman claims that upon her arrival, Rofe sent his secretary away and engaged in actions beyond a "traditional examination," attempting to sexually arouse her.

Following this account, other statements against Rofe emerged. The Ministry of Health subsequently suspended his license for five years. Legal proceedings against him are ongoing. Reports from approximately two weeks ago indicated that Rofe was still identifying himself as a "specialist in gynecology and obstetrics, a leading specialist in modern gynecological surgery" and using the title "doctor," while actively distributing his own educational materials on the subject.