Letters: Scalpels out for 'mischievous, vicious, sensational, insulting' editor of 'Lancet'

I AM in favour of patient involvement and measures of performance, but to cite the rising number of complaints against doctors as evidence of poor practice is of questionable validity.

A patient recently made a formal complaint against me when I declined to prescribe her the slimming pills she wanted. I explained that many doctors, myself included, will not prescribe these potentially dangerous drugs. Was that an example of good behaviour (say my colleagues) or bad doctoring (says Dr Horton)?

I found his article offensive, sensational and insulting, with only a few token words to admit that "most doctors work hard and care deeply about their patients".

Ronald Wallace (GP)

Inverurie, Aberdeenshire