Reception of the “Saatchi bill”

McCartney argues that the “Saatchi bill” risks encouraging quackery.1 Criticism of the bill is growing, despite appeals to the authority of various “respected clinicians” who helped to draft it. So far, critical organisations include:

• Academy of Medical Sciences, Medical Research Council, and the Wellcome Trust (www.acmedsci.ac.uk/viewFile/5360fb3f31baf.pdf)

• Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (www.aomrc.org.uk/doc_download/9752-academy-response-to-the-medical-innovation-bill-consultation)

• Academy for Healthcare Science (www.ahcs.ac.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/AHCS-response-to-Medical-Innovation-Bill-Apr14.pdf)

• Motor Neurone Disease Association (www.mndcampaigns.org/assets/0003/0040/Medical_Innovation_Bill_-_consultation_response_by_the_MND_Association.pdf)

• Royal College of Radiologists (www.rcr.ac.uk/docs/newsroom/pdf/RCR_Final_response%20_Med_%20Inn_%20Bill_apr_2014.pdf)

• Medical Defence Union (www.themdu.com/~/media/Files/MDU/Publications/Consultation%20responses/MDU%20response%20to%20consultation%20on%20Medical%20Innovation%20Bill.pdf)

• Cancer Research UK (https://scienceblog.cancerresearchuk.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Cancer-Research-UK-consultation-response-draft-Medical-Innovation-Bill.pdf)

• HealthWatch (charity 1003392)

Additional responses include:

• Robert Francis QC (www.serjeantsinn.com/ImageLibrary/Medical%20Innovation%20Bill.pdf)

• General Medical Council (www.gmc-uk.org/GMC_response_to_proposed_legislation_to_encourage_medical_innovation___April_2014.pdf_56053559.pdf)

• Royal College of Physicians (www.rcplondon.ac.uk/sites/default/files/medical_innovations_bill_rcp_response_240414_final.pdf)

• NHS Health Research Authority (www.hra.nhs.uk/documents/2014/05/health-research-authority-hra-response-legislation-encourage-medical-innovation-consultation.pdf)

• Action against Medical Accidents (www.avma.org.uk/data/files/Press_Release_Medical_Innovation_Bill.pdf)

• Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (www.apil.org.uk/press-release/Medical-Innovation-Bill-threatens-to-erode-patient-safety)

• Professor Michael Baum (http://nigelpooleqc.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/guest-post-by-professor-michael-baum.html)

• Royal College of Surgeons (www.rcseng.ac.uk/policy/documents/RCSconsultationresponsetoMedicalInnovationBill.pdf)