Fears Ruth Morrissey judgment could have a negative impact

Concerns have been raised in medical and legal circles that a High Court judgment in the case of a terminally ill woman could ultimately have a negative impact on patient care and in the delivery of screening programmes.

If screeners are required to have “absolute confidence” in their finding before giving the all-clear when reading a test slide, it could lead in the long term to patients being over-investigated and overtreated, and ultimately harmed, according to Professor Donal Brennan.