Medical Council ‘sidesteps issue’ in drug trial row

THE Irish Medical Council has said the decision by St Vincent’s Hospital and the Mater Hospital to postpone life-saving drug trials because the drug involved required the use of contraceptives is not a matter for them because it is covered by each hospital’s contract.

However, the Irish Hospitals Consultants Association (IHCA) has accused the council of failing to protect the public interest and “sidestepping the issue”.

The Medical Council Ethics Committee had pointed to section 8.11 of the consultants’ common contract, which deals with ethical principles in non-health board hospitals and contractually obliges a consultant to adhere to the ethos of the hospital where they work.