Medical Law Cases - For Doctors (MLCD), by definition, is a law reporter. But it reports important cases and analyzes them exclusively from a doctor’s perspective. It contains full texts of important judgements collected from all the Courts in India. Most importantly, drawing inferences from the reported judgements, MLCD will comprehensively guide doctors on precautions and guidelines that they must follow to protect themselves from medico-legal litigations.
It is designed by keeping in view two important facts. First, doctors are hard pressed for time. Second, law is the last thing that a doctor would want to read.
Hence, a summary of every judgment reported is provided in the ‘Abstract and Advice’. The ‘Abstract and Advice’ is written in simple, non-legal language. Facts of the case and important observations of the Court are stated in this summary.
The decision to present the ‘Abstract and Advice’ in the beginning of the journal has been a conscious one. The usual practice of presenting the abstract before each judgment was avoided since it was felt the doctor can save time by choosing to read in detail only those cases that are relevant to his or her practice.
All the judgments reported are indexed specialty wise. This would enable a gynecologist or a cardiologist to straightaway locate those judgements as well as ‘Abstract and Advice’ that are relevant to his or her practice.
Legal terms that appear in an article are explained at the end of each judgement. Cases on procedural aspects of law are totally avoided as they are relevant only to advocates and legal professionals. This journal provides maximum information and knowledge in a language and format that can be easily understood by doctors, taking the least amount of their time.
In short, the approach is to offer a journal that is of high practical utility to doctors, a journal that will keep doctors well informed about the ever-changing medical laws, a journal that will assuage the anxiety of doctors.