§ Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for Social Services pursuant to the Minister for Health's reply on 16 December 1980, if he will now take steps to publicise the admission by one of the doctors who had appeared on the 332W BBC television programme that he had made a mistake when he cast doubt on Great Britain's brain death criteria, in the light of the programme's influence in creating a wholesale withdrawal of kidney donors for transplant operations, information about which has been sent to him by the hon. Member for Brent, South.
§ Dr. VaughanThe criteria for the diagnosis of brain death were endorsed by the conference of medical Royal colleges and faculties and their adequacy is primarily a matter for the profession to consider. It would not be appropriate for me to give publicity to statements made on this subject by individual doctors. It is, however, my view that, when incorrect statements are broadcast on a matter of such public importance, the broadcasting authorities have a responsibility to give full publicity to any subsequent correction. The statement by the doctor in question, withdrawing claims he made during the programme "A Question of Life and Death", was broadcast by the BBC radio and TV. It also received coverage in the national press and professional journals and a letter from the doctor himself was published inThe Lancet.
I am aware that the conference of Royal colleges is giving further consideration to the implementation of the brain death criteria. Should the conference conclude that improvements in implementation can be made, the Department will be glad to co-operate in putting these improvements into effect. The fact that no evidence has been produced of any case in which a patient recovered after being diagnosed as brain dead according to the criteria, in my view gives substantial grounds for reassurance to prospective transplant donors and their relatives.