Ethics Committee

What is the Ethics Committee?

The Dr Foster Ethics Committee is a company limited by guarantee, which is independent of Dr Foster Intelligence.

Its role is to ensure that Dr Foster Intelligence meets the standards set out in its Code of Conduct. In the event of a complaint, the committee reviews Dr Foster Research's published material and can adjudicate in any complaints or disputes.

The current membership of the Ethics Committee is as follows:

• Sir Donald Irvine (Chair), former President General Medical Council
• Dame Deirdre Hine (Vice Chair), former Chair of the Commission for Healthcare Improvement, former President to the BMA
• Dr Michael Dixon, Chair of the NHS Alliance
• Dr Helena Earl, Consultant Oncologist, Addenbrooke's NHS Trust
• Dianne Hayter, Chair of Labour Party NEC and BSB Consumer Panel. Board member, NCC and Board for Actuarial Standards. Former Chief Executive of Alcohol Concern and Pelican Cancer Centre, and on Board of NPSA.
• Dr Ian Lane, Medical Director and Consultant Vascular Surgeon, Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust
• Professor Barry McCormick (Observer), Chief Economic Adviser at the Department of Health
• Professor Alan Maynard, Director, Health Policy Unit, York University and Chair, York Health Services NHS Trust
• Bernadette Porter, Nurse Consultant multiple sclerosis, The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery Therapy and Rehabilitation Services
• Dame Jane Roberts, Consultant Child Psychiatrist and Director of Quality and Performance of Islington PCT.
• Helen Scott, Nursing Editor/Staff Nurse, St Christopher's Hospice, London
• Dr Andrew Vallance-Owen, Group Medical Director, BUPA

Ethics Committee ruling on the Dr Foster Complementary Therapists Guide 2004

The Committee announced its findings, following complaints by a number of professional organisations about the Dr Foster Complementary Therapists Guide 2004, on 1 June 2004. View full text.

Contacting the Ethics Committee

The Ethics Committee is responsible for adjudicating on complaints that have not been resolved satisfactorily by Dr Foster Research. If you have a complaint about Dr Foster Research, please write to:

The Secretary of the Ethics Committee
Dr Foster Ethics Committee Limited
12 Smithfield Street
London
EC1A 9LA