General Medical Council hands down first decision on Andrew Wakefield

As I often do, I’m collating blog responses to the decision. This post is there:

Andrew Wakefield: Dishonesty, Misleading Conduct, and Serious Professional Misconduct: Blog Posts Approving of Verdict; Blog Posts Critical of Verdict

The findings seem to differentiate Wakefield’s case from those of his colleagues:

Wakefield: dishonesty and misleading conduct

Walker-Smith: irresponsible conduct and not acting in the child’s best clinical interests in several instances

Murch: failing in his duty as a responsible consultant and in some cases, not acting in the best clinical interests of the children

Of these charges, it seems that dishonesty is considered particularly grievous. The following is from the GMC sanctions guidance (http://www.gmc-uk.org/Indicative_Sanctions_Guidance_April_2009.pdf_snapshot.pdf)

Dishonesty

105. The GMC’s guidance, Good Medical Practice, states that registered doctors must be honest and trustworthy, and must never abuse their patients’ trust in them or the public’s trust in the profession. “Probity means being honest and trustworthy, and acting with integrity: this is at the heart of medical professionalism.” (Good Medical Practice paragraph 56)

“You must make sure that your conduct at all times justifies your patients’ trust in you and the public’s trust in the profession.” (Good Medical Practice paragraph 57) . . . .

108. Dishonesty, even where it does not result in direct harm to patients but is for example related to matters outside the doctor’s clinical responsibility, e.g. providing false statements or fraudulent claims for monies, is particularly serious because it can undermine the trust the public place in the profession. The Privy Council has emphasised that:
‘…Health Authorities must be able to place complete reliance on the integrity of practitioners; and the Committee is entitled to regard conduct which undermines that confidence as calculated to reflect on the standards and reputation of the profession as a whole.’

109. Examples of dishonesty in professional practice could include defrauding an employer, falsifying or improperly amending patient records or submitting or providing false references, inaccurate or misleading information on a CV and failing to take reasonable steps to ensure that statements made in formal documents are accurate. (see Good Medical Practice paragraph 3(f) regarding the duty to keep clear, accurate and legible records, and paragraphs 63 to 67 regarding writing reports and CVs, giving evidence and signing documents . . . .

110. Research misconduct is a further example. The term is used to describe a range of misconduct from presenting misleading information in publications to dishonesty in clinical drugs trials. Such behaviour undermines the trust that both the public and the profession have in medicine as a science, regardless of whether this leads to direct harm to patients. Because it has the potential to have far reaching consequences, this type of dishonesty is particularly serious. . . .

111. Dishonesty, especially where persistent and/or covered up, is likely to result in erasure . . . .