Medical societies' self-policing of unprofessional expert testimony.

Going after the 'hired guns': is improper expert witness testimony unprofessional conduct or the negligent practice of medicine?

A Test of Evolutionary Policing Theory with Data from Human Societies

In social groups where relatedness among interacting individuals is low, cooperation can often only be maintained through mechanisms that repress competition among group members. Repression-of-competition mechanisms, such as policing and punishment, seem to be of particular importance in human societies, where cooperative interactions often occur among unrelated individuals. In line with this v...

Guidelines for expert witness testimony in medical malpractice litigation. Committee on Medical Liability. American Academy of Pediatrics.

The interests of the public and the medical profession are best served when scientifically sound and unbiased expert witness testimony is readily available to plaintiffs and defendants in medical negligence suits. As members of the physician community, as patient advocates, and as private citizens, pediatricians have ethical and professional obligations to assist in the administration of justic...

Who's misbehaving? Perceptions of unprofessional social media use by medical students and faculty.

BACKGROUND Social media use by physicians offers potential benefits but may also be associated with professionalism problems. The objectives of this study were: 1) to examine and compare characteristics of social media use by medical students and faculty; 2) to explore the scope of self- and peer-posting of unprofessional online content; and 3) to determine what actions were taken when unprofes...

Inconsistency in evidentiary standards for medical testimony: disorder in the courts.

Several recent decisions by the US Supreme Court have strengthened the ability of federal courts to consider medical testimony regarding injuries associated with exposure to toxic substances. Judges are expected to examine the basis of all expert testimony before it is introduced at trial to ensure that it meets the same standards of intellectual rigor that professionals use outside the courtro...