Opinion
Physician testimony contributes to the medical liability crisis
LETTER — Posted Dec. 5, 2005
Regarding "Liability premiums stabilizing, but still painfully high-priced" (Article, Nov. 7): Instead of blaming "greedy lawyers" for high insurance premiums and hoping tort reform will fix the problem, the AMA should fix the problem of physicians who testify against other physicians. It is their "greed" that is the problem.
We would not have a "crisis" if doctors did what they were supposed to according to the Hippocratic Oath ("Testifying against your fellow physician," as far as I know, is not part of it). The trial lawyers are only doing their jobs; these physicians are not.
Jeffrey Masin, MD, Akron, Ohio
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2005/12/05/edlt1205.htm.