Mason and McCall Smith's Law and Medical Ethics, 9th Edition

• Covers the whole field of modern ethical medical practice, making the book suitable for use on all undergraduate and postgraduate medical law courses
• Clearly sets out both sides of the argument in ethical debates, and offers the authors' own perspectives, encouraging students to explore and form their own opinions
• Includes medical as well as legal facts, setting it apart from other legal textbooks in the field
• Takes account of the influence of international jurisdictions, particularly in the EU, over the development of UK law

New to this edition

• Matters considered in greater detail or new discussion: Formation of Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service; Mitochondrial disease; Abortion statistics 2011; Terminal sedation; The statutory establishment of the new Health Research Authority (2011); The abolition of the National Patient Safety Agency and the National Information Governance Board; Assisted dying in the light of the DPP's recommendation
• New Acts or Bills: Health and Social Care Act 2012; Patient Rights (Scotland) Act 2011;Draft Care and Support Bill 2012; Coroners and Justice Act 2009; Protection of Freedoms Act 2012
• Instructions or professional advice: · Department of Health Enabling Excellence: Autonomy and accountability for healthcare workers and social care workers (2011) · GMC Leadership and management for all doctors (2012) · GMC Raising and acting on concerns about patient safety (2012) · HFEA Code of Practice (8th ed., 2009 · RCOG Termination of pregnancy for fetal abnormality [2010] · Department of Health Reforming the Law for Adult Care and Support Cm 8379 (2012) · Department of Health Prioritising need in the context of Putting People First: A whole system approach to eligibility for social care (2010) · Nuffield Council on Bioethics Human Bodies:Donation for medicine and research (2011) · British Medical Association Building on Progress: Where next for organ donation policy in the UK? ( 2012) · DPP Policy for Prosecutors in Respect of Encouraging Assisted Suicide [2010] · GMC Treatment and care at the end of life: Good practice in deci
• New cases: Southall v GMC (2010); Brennan v Health Professions Council (2011); A and B ( by C, their mother and next friend) v A (Health and Social Services Trust) [2011] Re X and Y (Children: foreign surrogacy) [2012] A Local Authority v A (capacity:contraception) [2011] A, B and C v Ireland [2010] McDonald v Kensington and Chelsea Royal London BC [2011] Nicklinson v Ministry of Justice, QBD [2012] Haas v Switzerland (2011) NHS Trust v Baby X( (2012) R (on the application of Purdy) v DPP [2009] R v Inglis [2011] Rabone v Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust (2012) Wright v Cambridge Medical Group (2011) Re M and An NHS Trust v D (2012) Walker-Smith v GMC (2012) W v M (An Adult Patient) (2012)

This classic textbook has provided students of medical law and ethics with a framework for exploring this fascinating subject for over 25 years. Providing coverage of all of the topics found on medical law courses, it gives an overview of the inter-relationship between ethical medical practice and the law. The authors, both hugely experienced and influential in the field, offer their own opinions on current debates and controversies, and thereby encourage readers to formulate their own views and arguments. 

As a still-developing discipline, medical law is significantly shaped by the courts, and as such this book provides extensive coverage of recent judicial decisions as well as statutory developments. This edition continues to take a comparative approach, with particular importance attached to the shift in influence from transatlantic jurisdictions to those of the EU. 

This book has continually evolved to reflect changes in the law and shifting ethical opinions - this ninth edition continues to fulfil this remit and is essential reading for any serious medical law student or practitioner, as well as being of interest to all those involved in the delivery and control of modern healthcare.

Readership: This text is primarily for undergraduate students opting to take medical law modules, or postgraduates studying medical law and ethics. It is also sometimes used on nursing and medicine courses as supplementary reading.