Ruth Brown, University of Liverpool

A fantastic book and incredibly useful. I used this edition when revising finals and the previous edition for exams during the lower years. It is very easy to read and is also a fabulous reference text for Special Study Modules and similar essay based assessments. The latest edition expands on the previous and is fully updated to include information related to recent changes in the law. All in all a brilliant text that I would recommend to any med student

Posted 1st Jul 2009

Latifa Patel, University of Liverpool

I award this book a BUYER RATING of 5/5. This book needs no introductions. It’s practically famous and rightly too. An absolute must have. Though the book itself is no china doll its content is vital to any health professional. Knowing the ins and outs of Medical Law is vital especially now when so much is changing. I have yet to come across a Medico-Legal issue which is not in this amazing book. Though it’s not in colour and has no illustrations it does the job perfectly and so concisely. Don’t settle for any imitations. Enjoy, Latifa (“,)

Posted 9th Mar 2009

Adam Moreton, University of Liverpool

This book is all that you need for Medical Ethics. Depending on how much you enjoy reading this stuff - this book is actually a good read. "Key term boxes" bring the salient points to the reader’s attention for each section and contain the information most likely to come up in an exam. Probably of more use to medical students in England than those in Scotland, (but it highlights the areas where legal discrepancies occur between the two), however, ‘ethics’ is pretty universal regardless of country.

Posted 26th Jan 2009

Pauline Law, University of Dundee

I was expecting great things from Medical Ethics and Law. I wanted a book that would stimulate interest and debate, as well as a key summary of the key laws that concern the practice of medicine. Unfortunately this book proved that this topic is neither easy nor simple. It was not a light read, and I found it very hard to grasp the salient facts. The differences between Scotland and England were mentioned but not in a way that made the areas easy to grasp. On the plus side, the use of boxes did summarise key areas within relevant laws. The index was easy to use and what it did do was look at law concerning key areas such as consent, mental health and genetics. This allowed the application of more than one law to the areas and this was useful to see how there are no cut and dried answers in this area.

Posted 20th Aug 2008

David Miller, University of Glasgow

The second edition of Hope’s Medical Ethics and Law is an update to this successful and authoritative book which has become a firm favourite for many students over the years. With the exception of some important definitions the subject of medical ethics and law is not one easily learnt by wrote from a textbook. In fact discussion is key to learning the subject so Hope aids this by proving a magnitude of case studies and examples which really help to put theses complex principles into perspective. All the important essential issues students and junior doctors require to be familiar with are covered with the addition of information on the latest topics of end of life care, application of genetics, rationing of healthcare and research ethics. A particular helpful chapter introduces the aspects of law relating to medicine in a simple, plain English way for humble medical student. All in all it covers all the material the GMC would have us know plus more, in a simple and accessible way with plenty of detail and examples along the way.

Posted 1st Jul 2008

Emma Henderson, University of Oxford

Would you perform an abortion? What do you think about ‘mercy killing’?
Every decision we make in medicine is influenced by our own individual moral beliefs. As doctors we are entitled to our individual moral beliefs, which inevitably influence how we deal with difficult clinical situations. However, we are required by law to do certain things so that our patients’ care is not compromised by our own personal opinions.
It is vital that we know what the law says about difficult issues in medicine. This book, by a Professor of Medical Ethics, clearly and concisely lays out the law, and then proceeds to explain the ethics surrounding each issue.
This new 2008 edition has important additions including the Mental Capacity Act 2005, which came into force in 2007.
I highly recommend this book to all medical students. It is a smallish paperback, and very readable, illustrated with key cases. It will be a valuable source of information during clinical attachments.

Posted 1st Jul 2008