The Case

More than seven years ago, Toronto psychiatrist Dr. Melvyn Iscove lost his medical license for allegedly sexually abusing two of his male patients – allegations he continues to deny.

One patient alleges that Dr. Iscove tried to convince him he was gay, despite his repeated denials. The other sought therapy for depression and anxiety, which he believed were linked to fears about his sexuality. Dr. Iscove's treatment for both was influenced by the theories of Dr. Edmund Bergler--a largely forgotten psychoanalyst who claimed homosexuality could be cured.

The Oath examines the case of Dr. Melvyn Iscove, whose medical license was revoked in 2018 for allegedly sexually abusing two patients. When journalist Krysia Collyer first came across Dr. Iscove’s case, it seemed straightforward—until she and her co-producer, Brennan Leffler, began digging. What happened to those two patients was only part of a long, unusual story involving Iscove’s dedication to a largely forgotten 1950s psychoanalyst who believed homosexuality could be cured. The case raises serious questions about Ontario’s medical regulator: Can it be trusted to protect patients, and how does it handle potential cases of so-called “conversion therapy”?

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