title: Medical expert witness litmus.
abstract: Several years ago, Dr G. Breaking was the foremost proponent of a new surgical procedure, which was named after him. At a recent national meeting, he discussed a paper that modified the procedure and criticized the presenter's revisions as dangerous--risking increased paralysis. GB's unedited comments were published last month in the specialty's leading journal. Today, an attorney called the office representing a surgical patient who suffered paralysis after undergoing the modified procedure. GB has unremittingly avoided involvement in litigation. The plaintiff's attorney asks him to serve as an expert witness against the surgeon. What should GB do?
authors: The Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Tex., USA. jwjones@bcm.tmc.edu
authors: James W
authors: JW
authors: Jones
authors: Laurence B
authors: LB
authors: McCullough
mesh_terms: D005104:Expert Testimony / Q000941:ethics*; D013502:General Surgery / Q000941:ethics*; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008318:Malpractice