GMC strikes off proponent of temporary brittle bone disease
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《英国医生杂志》
The General Medical Council last week struck off a pathologist who appeared as an expert witness for parents accused of injuring their children, after finding that he ignored crucial evidence to advance his own controversial theories on bone disease.
Colin Paterson, from Longforgan, near Dundee, was found to have failed in his duties as an expert witness in the trials of two sets of parents accused of harming their children.
In both cases, Dr Paterson told the court he believed the children抯 fractures were due to temporary brittle bone disease, a condition he himself first described (Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine 1990;83:72-4), but which many specialists say does not exist.
In a March 2001 case in the High Court concerning the care of a girl known only as Miss X, Dr Paterson抯 evidence was described as "woeful" by the judge, Mr Justice Singer, who added that he was the third British judge to criticise Dr Paterson. Miss X was subsequently taken into care. The case led England抯 senior family judge, Elizabeth Butler-Sloss, to report Dr Paterson to the GMC.
The other case took place three months later in Arizona. Dr Paterson testified on behalf of the parents of Amber Talmadge, who had suffered 14 fractures by her 11th week of life. Dr Paterson ascribed the fractures to temporary brittle bone disease, a condition that he said resolves spontaneously by a child抯 first birthday. Amber Talmadge抯 parents were each sentenced to 35 years?imprisonment.
The chairwoman of the GMC抯 professional conduct committee in Manchester, Eileen Shaw, said Dr Paterson was entitled to his beliefs on temporary brittle bone disease but had failed to apply his own diagnostic criteria consistently. He was also found to have ignored bruising that was inconsistent with his published views on the disease.
"You appear to have acted as an advocate for temporary brittle bone disease and ignored the significant clinical evidence which was at variance with your published view on the clinical signs of . You risked misleading the court and undermining the confidence which the judiciary is entitled to place in expert medical witnesses," said Mrs Shaw.
Noting that Dr Paterson had given evidence in the US case after having received a letter of guidance from the GMC, she said he had shown "a reckless disregard of the magnitude and seriousness of the problem" and directed that he be struck off after 28 days if no appeal is lodged.
Dr Paterson intends to appeal the decision. A statement released by his solicitor said: "Dr Paterson is naturally very disappointed with the decision reached by the GMC. He has never knowingly misled any tribunal or court in setting out his views and has always had regard for the views of others. He has been committed to seeking to act in the best interests of the children at all times."(London Owen Dyer)
Colin Paterson, from Longforgan, near Dundee, was found to have failed in his duties as an expert witness in the trials of two sets of parents accused of harming their children.
In both cases, Dr Paterson told the court he believed the children抯 fractures were due to temporary brittle bone disease, a condition he himself first described (Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine 1990;83:72-4), but which many specialists say does not exist.
In a March 2001 case in the High Court concerning the care of a girl known only as Miss X, Dr Paterson抯 evidence was described as "woeful" by the judge, Mr Justice Singer, who added that he was the third British judge to criticise Dr Paterson. Miss X was subsequently taken into care. The case led England抯 senior family judge, Elizabeth Butler-Sloss, to report Dr Paterson to the GMC.
The other case took place three months later in Arizona. Dr Paterson testified on behalf of the parents of Amber Talmadge, who had suffered 14 fractures by her 11th week of life. Dr Paterson ascribed the fractures to temporary brittle bone disease, a condition that he said resolves spontaneously by a child抯 first birthday. Amber Talmadge抯 parents were each sentenced to 35 years?imprisonment.
The chairwoman of the GMC抯 professional conduct committee in Manchester, Eileen Shaw, said Dr Paterson was entitled to his beliefs on temporary brittle bone disease but had failed to apply his own diagnostic criteria consistently. He was also found to have ignored bruising that was inconsistent with his published views on the disease.
"You appear to have acted as an advocate for temporary brittle bone disease and ignored the significant clinical evidence which was at variance with your published view on the clinical signs of . You risked misleading the court and undermining the confidence which the judiciary is entitled to place in expert medical witnesses," said Mrs Shaw.
Noting that Dr Paterson had given evidence in the US case after having received a letter of guidance from the GMC, she said he had shown "a reckless disregard of the magnitude and seriousness of the problem" and directed that he be struck off after 28 days if no appeal is lodged.
Dr Paterson intends to appeal the decision. A statement released by his solicitor said: "Dr Paterson is naturally very disappointed with the decision reached by the GMC. He has never knowingly misled any tribunal or court in setting out his views and has always had regard for the views of others. He has been committed to seeking to act in the best interests of the children at all times."(London Owen Dyer)