Overview

The Medical Innovation (No. 2) Bill aims to encourage responsible medical innovation while preventing reckless departures from established practices. It clarifies the legal position of doctors who deviate from standard treatments, provided their decision is made responsibly and accountably.

Description

The Bill defines "responsible innovation" as a decision to deviate from standard medical practice based on careful consideration of several factors. These include:

• Insufficient or unclear research or evidence, particularly concerning rare conditions.
• The relative risks and likely success rates of proposed and existing treatments.
• The potential consequences of both applying and not applying the proposed treatment.
• Patient opinions and requests.
• Any other relevant factors necessary for sound clinical judgment.

The process of responsible innovation must be accountable and transparent. This might involve multi-disciplinary team decision-making, notification to a responsible officer, and explanation to the patient. Crucially, the bill does not permit treatment without consent or treatment for purposes other than the patient's best interests.

The bill applies to England and Wales and comes into force upon Royal Assent.

Government Spending

The Bill doesn't directly specify government spending. The impact on government spending is likely to be indirect and difficult to quantify, potentially including administrative costs associated with the new regulatory framework and any changes to healthcare provision resulting from the increased adoption of innovative treatments.

Groups Affected

• Doctors: The Bill directly impacts doctors, providing a legal framework for responsible innovation but also setting limits on their actions.
• Patients: Patients could benefit from access to innovative treatments but also need to be fully informed and consent to any deviation from standard practice.
• Healthcare institutions and regulatory bodies: These bodies may need to adapt their procedures to align with the Bill's requirements.
• Medical researchers: The bill might indirectly affect medical research by influencing the type of research undertaken.

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