Lies, damned lies, and medical experts: The abrogation of responsibility by specialty organizations and a call for action

Abstract

The festering problem of medical expert witnesses proffering false testimony in court remains. A review of the many proposed reforms to resolve this chronic and outrageous practice has indicated little progress despite a resolution by the American Medical Association enunciating that medical expert witness testimony is effectively the practice of medicine. A questionnaire was sent to 36 specialty organizations to determine whether they had established guidelines, position statements, policies, or bylaws that govern the disciplinary management of their members who testify falsely. Responses were obtained from all 36 specialty organizations and showed that over 80% had no definitive disciplinary policies to deal with this egregious practice. This finding is all the more surprising given repeated judicial and other exhortations to professional organizations to "police themselves." To address the abrogation of responsibility by specialty organizations, new stringent disciplinary steps are proposed to exorcise the despicable practice of false expert witness testimony from the practice of medicine.