REVIEW The role of doctors in investigation, prevention and treatment of torture Helen McColl1 • Kamaldeep Bhui2 • Edgar Jones3 1Liaison Psychiatry, Sussex Partnership Foundation Trust, Hove BN3 1AS, UK 2Wolfson Institute for Preventive Medicine, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1 M6BQ, UK 3King’s Centre for Military Research, Kings College, London SE5 9RJ, UK Correspondence to: Kamaldeep Bhui Email:
[email protected] DECLARATION Summary Doctors may assess and treat torture survivors; some may document Competing interests crucial evidence of torture in medico-legal reports. However, there is a Helen McColl is a lack of education on torture and related ethical and legal issues at Medical Advisor for undergraduate and postgraduate level and many doctors are not aware of Medical Justice opportunities to work with organisations for the prevention of torture. This Funding paper defines Torture, describes methods used, and sets out the human None rights instruments and codes of ethical practice that mandate efforts to prevent torture. Medical complicity in torture is discussed and the need for Ethical approval national and international medical associations to prevent torture by both Not applicable supporting doctors and recognising and tackling medial complicity. The Guarantor paper offers guidance for assessing and documenting torture, and for Helen McColl providing health care for survivors of torture. Contributorship All authors helped construct, edit and Introduction of torture in medicolegal reports (MLR). refine the paper However, there is a lack of education on torture whilst HM led on Torture continues to be a subject of media head- and related ethical and legal issues at undergradu- writing the first and lines; this year was the 10th anniversary of the ate and postgraduate level and many doctors are final draft.