Healthy Skepticism Library item: 17566

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Journal Article

Grayling AC
We should reform libel laws in light of Singh victory
BMJ 2010 Apr 7; 340:
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/extract/340/apr07_2/c1910

Abstract:

When three senior Court of Appeal judges came down on Simon Singh’s side in his libel tussle with the British Chiropractic Association, they did so by ruling that the right to state an “honest opinion” is essential to free speech and that Singh was entitled to claim this as a defence to the association’s action against him (BMJ 2010;340:c1895, doi:10.1136/bmj.c1895). And they thereby lent great weight to the now almost universal criticism of English libel law-namely, that it has a deeply chilling effect on legitimate debate and criticism, illustrated by the fact that the association’s suit against Singh silenced discussion. This, the judges said, “might otherwise have assisted potential patients to make informed choices about the possible use of chiropractic.”

The judgment, which the association might yet appeal, concerned one crucial aspect of Singh’s case: whether he can rely on a defence of fair comment in saying . . .