MPS's response to legislation to encourage medical innovation: A consultation
Post date: 28/04/2014 | Time to read article: 1 minsThe information within this article was correct at the time of publishing. Last updated 18/05/2020
We responded to the Legislation to encourage medical innovation consultation, which closed on 25 April 2014.
MPS welcomes the debate Lord Saatchi and Michael Ellis MP have ignited by introducing Private Members’ Bills with the aim of encouraging responsible medical innovation. Lord Saatchi’s work on this issue could lead to some important new thinking about how to further encourage responsible medical innovation.
MPS supports responsible innovation in medicine and it is right to have a public conversation about how to best achieve this and to identify and remove barriers.
There should now be an evidence gathering exercise to fully explore what, if any, barriers exist and how these might be dealt with in a proportionate and practical way.
MPS is not convinced that this Bill is needed because:
- We believe that current law protects doctors undertaking responsible medical innovation
- We do not have any evidence that the barrier to responsible medical innovation is a fear of the possibility of clinical negligence claims. Other potential barriers should be explored
- The Bill, as it currently stands, could create some risks.
