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Government sets new medical research guidelines
EducationGuardian.co.uk
Universities and medical schools must work together to prevent scandals like the theft of children's organs at Alder Hey hospital, according to a government report published today.
The pathologist at the centre of the scandal, Dick van Velzen, was suspended from the medical register in February and convicted in Canada in July after a national report accused him of "systematically, illegally and unethically" stripping organs from the bodies of thousands of children at Alder Hey hospital.
The report also criticised van Velzen's research, saying it was of little value because data had been falsified. It suggested that his employers, a teaching hospital and a university, might have noticed the theft earlier had either monitored his research properly.
Today, the Department of Health and the Department for Education and Skills published a report by Sir Brian Follett into what universities and medical teaching schools do, to try to prevent the mistake ever happening again.
Most of the burden will fall onto management, who must ensure every senior member of staff in the NHS and in universities is supervised. Sir Brian also emphasised the need for greater communication and for all staff qualifications to be carefully checked.
UniversitiesUK, the council of heads of medical schools, the NHS and the government are now drawing up guidelines which both medical schools and universities will have to follow.
Sir Brian Follett's report is available from the Department for Education and Skills on 0870 000 2288.