A doctor has been accused of promoting cancer immune support treatment on her website without clearly advertising the associated risks.

Prof Dana Flavin faces allegations that between September 2021 and April 2023, while providing treatment to a patient who was suffering from localised breast cancer, she failed to clearly advertise on her website the risks associated with immune-support treatment.

Details of the allegations were heard at a Medical Council fitness-to-practise hearing on Monday.

It was also alleged that Flavin failed to clearly advertise on the website that the treatment ought to be undertaken in addition to, and not as a replacement for, conventional therapy.

It was further alleged that Flavin, who qualified in Austria in 1999, failed to clearly state that the treatment offered was not based on phase-three clinical trials.

Flavin, who did not attend the hearing and was not represented, is also accused of failing to adhere to the Medical Council guide to professional conduct and ethics where it was alleged that the information on her website relating to immune support treatment was not verifiable and had the potential to raise unrealistic expectations on the part of patients.

An allegation regarding the alleged provision of immune support treatment to a patient, A, was withdrawn.

It was also alleged that Flavin’s conduct amounted to poor professional performance and conduct connected with her profession in which she had seriously fallen short of the standards expected among doctors.

Dr Seamus O’Reilly, oncology consultant at Cork University Hospital, told the committee that he saw A in August 2021 where she was recommended a cancer treatment plan which included the provision of chemotherapy.

However, O’Reilly said it was his understanding that as part of a 12-week programme under the care of Flavin, A was taking supplements. O’Reilly said this was not encouraged during chemotherapy treatment as there was some evidence they reduced its benefit.

Ronan Kennedy, legal assessor to the hearing, gave numerous cautions to the committee regarding hearsay evidence which could not be tested.

O’Reilly said that despite being shown on CAT scans that the cancer was getting worse, A still declined to accept conventional treatment and that she subsequently died.

O’Reilly said he contacted the Medical Council with his concerns regarding the alleged treatment Flavin was providing to A.

The inquiry heard evidence that Flavin said she obtained registration in Ireland in 2018 because she often visited to give talks and advice to colleagues here.

Although Flavin did not attend the hearing, the committee was satisfied “all reasonable efforts” had been made to notify her of the hearing and that there was “no good reason” to adjourn it.

Hugh McDowell, barrister for the chief executive of the Medical Council, gave evidence of email communication between Flavin and the council in the early stages of the investigation process where Flavin said that she was not practising in Ireland.

McDowell said that on January 19th, 2023, Flavin questioned whether the regulatory authority had jurisdiction to bring a complaint against her as she claimed that she was no longer registered in Ireland.

McDowell said Flavin claimed in further email correspondence that she was not living in Ireland, that she was a US citizen, that the US embassy advised her that the conduct of the council amounted to “harassment” and that the case was “closed”.

The committee will meet on Tuesday to deliberate.