1. 14 November 2011

2. OUTLINE

3. FORENSIC
MEDICINE



Forensic pathology is not
synonymous with forensic medicine
Forensic medicine concerns the use
of medical knowledge for the
purposes of the law and the study of
the law as it relates to medical
practice
The term “Forensic” was derived from
“forum”, the Latin word for the market
place

4. SCOPE OF FORENSIC
MEDICINE




Medical Jurisprudence- The law
relating to medical practice
Clinical Forensic Medicine
Toxicology
Forensic Pathology

5. MEDICAL
JURISPRUDENCE




Medical Acts and Medical Councils
Medical certificates
Dangerous Drugs
Medical Ethics: -consent;
negligence; professional secrecy

6. CLINICAL FORENSIC
MEDICINE



Examination of hospital patients for
the purpose of the law
All hospital patients are potential
medicolegal cases
Clinical Forensic Medicine cases
include:- Drunks, victims of Rape,
Accidents and Industrial disease

7. TOXICOLOGY


The study of the signs and
symptoms of poisoning in the living
and the recognition of poisoning in
the dead
Poison can cause sudden death
and must therefore be excluded in
all cases of sudden unexpected
deaths

8. FORENSIC PATHOLOGY
Concerns the examination of the dead for the
purpose of law
All the citizens of a country belong to the
state
The state is therefore interested in the
circumstances and the cause of death of
the citizens.

9. FORENSIC PATHOLOGY
Examination of living or dead to determine/permit:

Cause, mechanism, and manner of disease,
injury, or death

Identification of persons;

Significance of biological and physical evidence;

Correlation and reconstruction of wounds,
wound patterns, and sequences; and

Performance of comprehensive medicolegal
death investigations

10. FORENSIC PATHOLOGY
Forensic pathology applies techniques of
pathology to the needs and protection of
public health, public safety, quality
assurance, education in medicine, research,
jurisprudence, and the administration of
justice
Its highest goal is the development of strategies
to prevent injury, disease, and death

11. BACKGROUND

The practice of all professionals must be regulated
by law so as to ensure
a.
Protection of practitioners from quacks
b.
Protection of public from qualified practitioners

Hammurabi Code, Hippocratic Oath


In early days the offices of the physician and priest
resided in a single individual
Of the 3 learned professions (physician, lawyer and
priest), Medicine is the only noble profession

12. MEDICAL AND
DENTAL
PRACTITIONER’S ACT
General Council for Medical Education (1858)
Medical and Dental Practitioner’s Act of 1963
Revised in 1990 and 2004
Standards of knowledge and skill
Maintenance of register of practitioners
Preparation of code of conduct
Supervising the practice of alternative
medicine
Regulations of operation of clinical laboratory
practice
Performance of other functions conferred on

13. MEMBERSHIP OF
COUNCIL
Seventy-one statutory members
Chairman (Registrar) of Council, appointed by President
2 representatives of the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH)
Chief Medical Officer of each State MOH
11 representatives of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA)
1 representative of the National Postgraduate Medical College
The Director-General of the Armed Forces Medical Corps
3 representatives of the recognized medical schools in Nigeria
2 representatives of the medical and dental professions appointed
by the Minister of Health
11 members (9 NMA, 2 NDA)
1 representative alternate medical practitioner
2 pathologists

14. STATUTORY ROLES
OF COUNCIL


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Medical education
Medical registration
Professional discipline

15. MEDICAL
EDUCATION


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Regulation of undergraduate
medical education
Preregistration year of medical
training (housemanship)
Regulation of the practice of
expatriates or other foreign
medical graduates

16. MEDICAL
REGISTRATION
Ignorance is no excuse in law
 Provisional registration
 Full registration
 Limited (temporary) registration
 Registration of postgraduate
medical and dental qualifications

17. PROFESSIONAL
DISCIPLINE

MEDICAL AND DENTAL PRACTITIONERS’
INVESTIGATING PANEL
Panel includes 15 members of Council of which at
least 3 should be dental surgeons

MEDICAL/DENTAL PRACTITIONERS’
DISCIPLINARY TRIBUNAL
Tribunal members includes President (Registrar)
of Council and 10 other members of Council
(including 4 members of the NMA in Council, 2
dental surgeons and 4 others)
Advised by Senior Advocate of Nigeria

18. “INFAMOUS CONDUCT IN A
PROFESSIONAL RESPECT”
•
•
•
•
•
Illegal abortion
Adultery
Alcoholism
Drug addiction
Inappropriate
association
• Undue selfadvertisement
• False certification
• Breach of
professional
secrecy
• Falsification of
expenses
• Medical
negligence

19. MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE
For a case of medical negligence to be
proved legally, it must be
established that
 Doctor owed patient a duty of care
 Breach in the duty
 Patient suffered injury as a result

20. OUTCOMES OF
TRIBUNAL HEARING
A simple reprimand

Temporarily suspension from practicing for
a period of not more than 6 months

Permanently deletion or striking off name
from Medical Register either permanently,
or for a prescribed period of not less than 2
years
A doctor on suspension may re-apply after the
period of suspension to get back on the
register


21. THANKS FOR
LISTENING