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GMC behaving like a modern inquisition by striking off Dr Waney Squier General Medical Council behaving like a modern inquisition
(35 minutes later)
We are concerned that Dr Waney Squier, perhaps Britain’s foremost scientist in the field of paediatric neuropathology, who has been a consultant at the John Radcliffe hospital for 32 years, was struck off the medical register by a General Medical Council panel on Monday, based on her testimony in so-called shaken baby syndrome (SBS) cases (Report, theguardian.com, 21 March). She was accused of various things, including showing too little respect for the views of her peers.We are concerned that Dr Waney Squier, perhaps Britain’s foremost scientist in the field of paediatric neuropathology, who has been a consultant at the John Radcliffe hospital for 32 years, was struck off the medical register by a General Medical Council panel on Monday, based on her testimony in so-called shaken baby syndrome (SBS) cases (Report, theguardian.com, 21 March). She was accused of various things, including showing too little respect for the views of her peers.
Every generation has its quasi-religious orthodoxies, and if there is one certainty in history it is that many beliefs that were firmly held yesterday will become the object of knowing ridicule tomorrow. Whether this will be the fate of SBS, time will tell. However, the case of Dr Squier follows another troubling pattern where the authorities inflict harsh punishment on those who fail to toe the establishment line.Every generation has its quasi-religious orthodoxies, and if there is one certainty in history it is that many beliefs that were firmly held yesterday will become the object of knowing ridicule tomorrow. Whether this will be the fate of SBS, time will tell. However, the case of Dr Squier follows another troubling pattern where the authorities inflict harsh punishment on those who fail to toe the establishment line.
Related: Doctor who denies shaken baby syndrome struck offRelated: Doctor who denies shaken baby syndrome struck off
It is a sad day for science when a 21st-century inquisition denies one doctor the freedom to question “mainstream” beliefs. It is a particularly sad day for the parent or carer who ends up on the wrong end of another doctor’s “diagnosis” that an infant was shaken, when the child may have died from entirely different, natural causes. Michael Mansfield QC, LondonClive Stafford Smith Human rights lawyer, LondonDr Thomas L Bohan President, Forensic Specialties Accreditation Board; President, American Academy of Forensic Sciences, 2009-10Dr Harry J. Bonnell Forensic pathologist, CaliforniaDr Lina Davidsson StockholmKeith A Findley Co-director, Wisconsin Innocence ProjectDr Steven C. Gabaeff Diplomat Emeritus, American Board of Emergency Medicine (1983-2014)Dr Jennian Geddes Retired reader in clinical neuropathology, Queen Mary, University of LondonDavid B Hirsch Lawyer, New HampshireDr Zhongxue Hua Forensic pathologist and neuropathologist, New YorkCharles J Hyman Retired clinical professor of pediatrics, CaliforniaKatherine Judson Shaken baby syndrome litigation coordinator, Wisconsin Innocence ProjectDr Patrick E Lantz Winston Salem, North CarolinaDavid J. Lansner Lawyer, New YorkAnya Lewis Barrister, LondonDr Marvin Miller Professor of pediatrics, ob/gyn; affiliated professor of biomedical engineering, Dayton, OhioDr John Plunkett Diplomate, American Board of PathologyDr Miguel Reyes-Múgica Marjory K Harmer Endowed Chair in Pediatric Pathology, PennsylvaniaDr Irene Scheimberg Consultant paediatric pathologist, LondonDr Joseph Scheller Child neurologist, MarylandCarrie Sperling Co-Director, Wisconsin Innocence ProjectPeter Wilcox QC, LondonDr Edward N Willey FloridaJenny Wiltshire Managing Partner, Hickman & Rose, LondonDr RK Wright Forensic pathologist, Florida It is a sad day for science when a 21st-century inquisition denies one doctor the freedom to question “mainstream” beliefs. It is a particularly sad day for the parent or carer who ends up on the wrong end of another doctor’s “diagnosis” that an infant was shaken, when the child may have died from entirely different, natural causes. Michael Mansfield QC, LondonClive Stafford Smith Human rights lawyer, LondonDr Thomas L Bohan President, Forensic Specialties Accreditation Board; President, American Academy of Forensic Sciences, 2009-10Dr Harry J. Bonnell Forensic pathologist, CaliforniaDr Lina Davidsson StockholmKeith A Findley Co-director, Wisconsin Innocence ProjectDr Steven C. Gabaeff Diplomat Emeritus, American Board of Emergency Medicine (1983-2014)Dr Jennian Geddes Retired reader in clinical neuropathology, Queen Mary, University of LondonDavid B Hirsch Lawyer, New HampshireDr Zhongxue Hua Forensic pathologist and neuropathologist, New YorkCharles J Hyman Retired clinical professor of pediatrics, CaliforniaKatherine Judson Shaken baby syndrome litigation coordinator, Wisconsin Innocence ProjectDr Patrick E Lantz Winston Salem, North CarolinaDavid J. Lansner Lawyer, New YorkAnya Lewis Barrister, LondonDr Marvin Miller Professor of pediatrics, ob/gyn; affiliated professor of biomedical engineering, Dayton, OhioDr John Plunkett Diplomate, American Board of PathologyDr Miguel Reyes-Múgica Marjory K Harmer Endowed Chair in Pediatric Pathology, PennsylvaniaDr Irene Scheimberg Consultant paediatric pathologist, LondonDr Joseph Scheller Child neurologist, MarylandCarrie Sperling Co-Director, Wisconsin Innocence ProjectPeter Wilcox QC, LondonDr Edward N Willey FloridaJenny Wiltshire Managing Partner, Hickman & Rose, LondonDr RK Wright Forensic pathologist, Florida
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