The German medical community is in uproar over the controversial manslaughter conviction of a junior doctor in Biebefield

The BJM last week reported on the grave concerns of the German medical community over the controversial manslaughter conviction of a junior doctor in Biebefield. The young doctor was found guilty after having inadvertently intravenously injected a baby with an oral antibiotic, causing the child to suffer anaphylactic shock and die. The doctor claimed that an assisting nurse told him it was an intravenous antibiotic. The nurse denies this.

Following the conviction, the BJM reports,

“700 junior doctors and medical students at Münster University met the medical faculty, legal experts, and representatives of health insurance companies to discuss the ruling. After several hours of discussion, everyone present at the meeting agreed that the conviction could have a negative effect on medical training in Germany and that the intern should appeal to a higher court.”

The appeal hearing is due to take place in Bielefeld District Court on the 5th August. A number of leading medical academics, including the dean of the Munster medical school, are due to testify. 

Xavier Symons
Creative commons
Germany
medical error

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