BMJ  2004;329:797 (2 October), doi:10.1136/bmj.329.7469.797

Commentary

Funding will make you free

John C Alcolado, senior lecturer in medicine1

1 Department of Medicine, University of Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff CF14 4XN alcolado@btinternet.com

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

Academic freedom does not exist and has probably always been a myth. Wright and Wedge raise several important issues regarding the autonomy of clinical academics but, perhaps wisely, are careful not to provide a clear definition of "freedom."1 Freedom is not just an absence of physical restraint but also the lack of psychological compulsion. The central issue is the extent to which institutions and society are willing to tolerate some degree of freedom (or self indulgence) by academic physicians.

In the United Kingdom, we are already reigned in by the General Medical Council; its booklet on standards in medical research sets boundaries to what we may or may not do.2 Failure to heed its advice could result in the ultimate sanction of removing our freedom to practise medicine at all. Our freedom to perform clinical studies is further limited by the local research ethical committees. Even if their approval is . . . [Full text of this article]


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Relevant Article

Clinicians and patients' welfare: where does academic freedom fit in?
James G Wright and John H Wedge
BMJ 2004 329: 795-796. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

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