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We are writing to you as parents of the children who, because of their symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease
and associated autism,
were seen at the Royal Free Hospital Paediatric Gastroenterology Unit
by Professor Walker-Smith
and Dr. Simon Murch
with the involvement of Dr Andrew Wakefield on the research side of their investigations.
Our children became the subjects of a paper published in The Lancet
in 1998
We know these three doctors are being investigated by the General Medical Council (GMC)
on the basis of allegations made to them by a free-lance reporter.
Among the many allegations made are the suggestions that the doctors acted inappropriately regarding the
children
that Dr. Wakefield solicited them for research purposes
and that our children had not been referred in the usual way by their own Doctors
It is also claimed that our children were given unnecessary and invasive investigations for the
purpose of research
and not in their interest
we know that this was not so
All of our children were referred to Professor Walker-Smith in the proper way
in order that their severe,
long-standing and distressing gastroenterological symptoms
could be fully investigated and treated by the foremost paediatric gastroenterologists
in the UK
Many of us had been to several other doctors in our quest to get help for our children
but not until we saw Professor Walker-Smith and his colleagues
were full investigations undertaken.
We were all treated with utmost professionalism and respect by all three of these doctors.
Throughout our children’s care at the Royal Free Hospital
we were kept fully informed about the investigations recommended
and the treatment plans which evolved.
All of the investigations were carried out without distress to our children, many of whom
made great improvements on treatment
so that for the first time in years they were finally pain free.
We have been following the GMC hearings with distress, as we the parents, have had no opportunity to refute the
allegations
For the most part we have been excluded from giving evidence to support these doctors who we all
hold in very high regard.
It is for this reason we are writing to the GMC and to all concerned
to be absolutely clear that the complaint that is being brought against these three caring
and compassionate physicians does not in any way reflect our perception of the treatment offered to our sick children at
the Royal Free.
We are appalled that these doctors have been the subject of this protracted enquiry
in the absence of any complaint
from any parent
about any of the children who were reported in the Lancet paper