A co-principal investigator in a clinical trial that led to a notorious libel case is to face misconduct charges by the UK’s medical regulator, the BMJ has learnt.

The General Medical Council has decided to refer Andrew Dowson, director of headache services at King’s College Hospital in London, to a hearing by a fitness to practise panel of the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service.

The GMC has concluded that Dowson, who co-led the migraine intervention with STARFlex technology (MIST) trial, should face a range of charges over the trial, which was intended to test whether a new device for closing patent foramen ovale, …