Doctors Can’t Be Blamed for Every Patient’s Death, Says Supreme Court

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The Supreme Court of India has delivered a landmark judgment protecting doctors from being unfairly accused of negligence when treatments or surgeries do not yield expected results. A bench of Justice Sanjay Kumar and Justice Satish Chandra made this observation while hearing a case involving the death of a woman.

The Court clarified that if a surgery fails or treatment does not succeed despite all reasonable efforts, doctors cannot automatically be blamed for negligence. The bench noted that “No prudent professional would intentionally act in a way that endangers a patient, as one mistake can cost a doctor their reputation and career.”

The Court further emphasized that while the medical profession has become somewhat commercialized and some doctors deviate for monetary gains, the entire medical community cannot be labeled corrupt or incompetent.

In this ruling, the Supreme Court overturned the NCDRC order, which had earlier held the hospital and doctors guilty of negligence. The Court pointed out that although allegations were made about the nursing home being unprepared for emergencies, there was no evidence of negligence in prenatal care or obstetric management.

This verdict is seen as a significant relief for the medical fraternity, reinforcing the need for solid evidence before doctors are held liable for medical negligence.