Is the international regulation of medical complicity with torture largely window dressing?
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JVL
JVL Introduction
The following abstract appears in the BMJ to accompany the article below:
- This is the account of an ongoing appeal initiated in 2009 by 725 doctors from 43 countries concerning medical complicity with torture in Israel. It has been underpinned by a voluminous and still accumulating evidence base from reputable international and regional human rights organisations, quoted below, and has spanned the terms of office of four World Medical Association (WMA) presidencies and two UN special rapporteurs on torture.
- This campaign has been a litmus test of whether international medical codes regarding doctors and torture actually matter, and are applied rigorously and even-handededly, particularly when compelling evidence incriminates a WMA member association.
- Our findings in the case of Israel suggest that this is not true, and that impunity largely operates. The WMA seems in partisan violation of its mandate to be the official international watchdog on the ethical behaviour of doctors.
- And as the IMA case demonstrates, by their inaction national medical associations or other regulatory bodies appear to function at base as buttresses and shields of the state.
This article was originally published by BMJ Journals / Journal of Medical Ethics on Tue 15 Jun 2021. Read the original here.
Is the international regulation of medical complicity with torture largely window dressing? The case of Israel and the lessons of a 12-year medical ethical appeal
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Dr Derek Summerfield is to be greatly admired for his persistence in trying to get Israel and many of its doctors held to account. Whilst this piece takes us from 2009 to present, in fact Dr Summerfield has been active since 1995 when he first studied mental health issues in Palestinian political prisoners. There has therefore been accumulating evidence of the immorality and barbarity not only of the State, but also of doctors who do not demonstrate and honour the ethics they are supposed to follow where they witness torture. There is surely much evidence of use to the ICC.
I am dismayed to see the name of Sir Michael Marmot mentioned in such a terrible light, as he carried out groundbreaking research in the 1970’s in the field of cardiovascular research that I was in. Indeed, he has contributed a huge amount to the field of health and social status, including very recently with regard to covid 19. So it seems that just as there are progressives except for Palestine we have doctors who are ethical except for Palestine.
What is really sad is that among Palestinians there is the highest degree of mental illness in the Middle East and beyond. BUT mental health issues are also significant among Israeli Jews. Just imagine what could be the reward from a just and equal society from the River to the Sea!
When I read this article and contemplated the causes of the problem, at least 7 thoughts came to me:
1. People with a lot of power have said it is fine, so it must be fine.
2. An organisation with a good reputation has not identified any problem, so the problem must not exist.
3. The best way to get somewhere in life is to suck up, and to punch down.
4. It is unpleasant to fight a good cause alone or with relatively few allies, so one might as well not fight it.
5. It is unpleasant to entertain the thought that one might get nowhere when fighting a good cause, so one might as well give up.
6. It is unpleasant to fight for something that provokes a lot of resistance, so it might be best to surrender.
7. When the facts do not fit the frame, either ignore or reject the facts.
Derek Summerfield must be commended for his clear analysis of torture in Israel, for his persistence in trying to address it, and for resisting these 7 highly problematic thoughts. Unless national medical associations and regulatory bodies wish to appear as nothing other than ‘buttresses and shields of the state’, they must resist these false principles, not only in their words, but also in their actions.