PATHOLOGIST AS GATEKEEPER: DISCRETIONARY DECISION‐MAKING IN CASES OF SUDDEN INFANT DEATH

Abstract

In many cases of unexpected infant death the cause of death cannot be ascertained. It has become convention to call such cases ‘SIDS’ (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). A simulation study of pathologists' decision‐making found that there were significant differences in the procedure adopted and the diagnosis of cause of death in such cases. It was found that their decision‐making was influenced by factors such as experience, training and most importantly, pathologists' own perception of their professional role. In an emotive area such as infant death the application of the SIDS label is frequently part of the social process of defining disease.