This policy is a revision of the policy posted on May 1, 2002.

POLICY STATEMENT

PEDIATRICS Vol. 124 No. 1 July 2009, pp. 428-438 (doi:10.1542/peds.2009-1132)
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POLICY STATEMENT

Expert Witness Participation in Civil and Criminal Proceedings

Committee on Medical Liability and Risk Management

The interests of the public and both the medical and legal professions are best served when scientifically sound and unbiased expert witness testimony is readily available in civil and criminal proceedings. As members of the medical community, patient advocates, and private citizens, pediatricians have ethical and professional obligations to assist in the administration of justice. The American Academy of Pediatrics believes that the adoption of the recommendations outlined in this statement will improve the quality of medical expert witness testimony in legal proceedings and, thereby, increase the probability of achieving outcomes that are fair, honest, and equitable. Strategies for enforcing guidance and promoting oversight of expert witnesses are proposed.

Key Words: expert witness • legal and ethical standards • oversight • peer review

Abbreviations: AAP—American Academy of Pediatrics • FRE—Federal Rule of Evidence


The following policy statement has been revised:

Guidelines for Expert Witness Testimony in Medical Malpractice Litigation
Committee on Medical Liability
Pediatrics 2002 109: 974-979. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]



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G. N. McAbee
Policy reviews legal, ethical standards of medical expert testimony
AAP News, July 1, 2009; 30(7): 10 - 10.
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