Highly educated doctors can sometimes be dodgy

by **Tony Bennett** 28.07.10 23:25

This is a little editorial Simon Heffer, Deputy Editor of the Daily Telegraph, wrote a few days ago, which I thought might be of interest:

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Duff research that became gospel for the ignorant

I was once a medical journalist and had to report proceedings at the General Medical Council. I soon realised that doctors who slept with their patients were much more likely to be struck off than those who killed them. I have since been sceptical not just of the GMC, but of all self-regulating professional tribunals for whom, self-righteousness, pomposity and lack of perspective seem de rigeur.

However, I think the GMC may have got it right on Thursday in its finding against the way Andrew Wakefield conducted his research into the MMR vaccine. The trouble with duff research is that duff people then seize on it (climate change is another example). The scare was also used by people who hated Labour as a stick to beat the government with - remember the ‘row’ about whether the Blairs had had young Leo vaccinated? It all became rather silly - sillier still when study after study showed no link between MMR, autism and bowel cancer.

There is a lesson here: however highly educated doctors are, they can be wrong, and sometimes even a bit dodgy.

by Kololi 29.07.10 0:09

Excuse me for being a tadge slow but why would this article be of interest?

The writer makes a point that could be applied to most professions that require a good level of education but other than that I am not sure what the point is that he is getting at.