A dismal and dangerous verdict against Roy Meadow

Abstract

The verdict of serious professional misconduct given by the UK's General Medical Council (GMC) against Prof Roy Meadow last week was not only unjust but also will profoundly damage the future of child protection services in Britain. It was a bad decision in every way. Meadow deserved to be criticised for the manner in which he gave evidence in some cases. But he did not fail in his duty as an expert witness. He was not guilty of serious professional misconduct if the facts of the case are considered in their proper context. And it was not a proportionate sanction to strike him off the medical register. The GMC's grievously erroneous decision calls into question the trust that the public and profession can put in an organisation that claims to be concerned with the highest standards of medical ethics, education, and practice.