The criminalisation of fatal medical mistakes

doi:10.1136/bmj.327.7424.1118

BMJ 2003;327:1118-1119 (15 November), doi:10.1136/bmj.327.7424.1118

Editorial

The criminalisation of fatal medical mistakes

A social intolerance of medical mistakes has caused them tobe criminalised

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

After pleading guilty to the manslaughter of his patient bygross negligence Feda Mulhem was given a custodial sentenceof eight months. Dr Mulhem, who was only three days into hisfirst post as a specialist registrar in haematology at Queen'sMedical Centre, Nottingham, had instructed a junior doctor toinject an anticancer drug into the patient's spine. The drugshould have been injected intravenously but Dr Mulhem had confusedthis drug with another that is given at the same time, whichis properly injected into the spine. Within a few minutes thedoctor realised the magnitude of his mistake and was visiblyshaken, but it was too late to save the life of his teenagepatient, Wayne Jowett, whose cancer was in remission.¹ BecauseDr Mulhem had already served time in custody awaiting his trialhe was released immediately, and the dead patient's father calledthe eight month sentence . . . [Full text of this article]

Jon Holbrook, barrister

2 Garden Court Chambers, London EC4Y 9BL (Jon.Holbrook@BTinternet.com)

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The criminalisation of fatal medical mistakes: Kieran A McCaul
bmj.com, 14 Nov 2003 [Full text]
Increasingly negative environment for doctors in the UK: David A.C. Maclachlan
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A further sad reflection on our society?: Peter J Davis
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The Indian Story: Neck that fits the noose: Sujay K Shad
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Only Junior Doctors to the 'Slaughter House'?: Jay Ilangaratne
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Who are the real criminals?: Himanshu Patel
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Does racism motivate prosecution of fatal medical mistakes?: Caroline L Litman
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Criminalisation of doctors - does it encourage defensive medicine?: Shehnaaz Jivraj
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Criminalisation of Medical Errors or Decriminalisation of Racims?: Umesh Prabhu
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A solicitor responds: Paul Balen
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Fair and Just Blame?: Jeffrey C McILwain
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Green ink: Gordon G Anderson
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