Stop the Saatchi Bill

Driven by an extraordinary two-year PR campaign on social media and a supportive newspaper partner, this all started as Lord Saatchi’s Medical Innovation Bill, metamorphosed through several versions, and was resurrected under a new name by Chris Heaton-Harris, before finally clearing its last hurdle in the Lords this week to become the Access to Medical Treatments (Innovation) Act. Pretty much the only thing they share is the word 'Innovation' in the title.

One day, it may be possible for politicians to ask the people who actually work in the medical field: what are the problems you face, and how can we help you overcome them?

One day, politicians may actually listen to the answers they receive, and thus try to tackle genuine problems rather than imagined ones.

One day, politicians, medics, researchers, lawyers, patient groups, charities, and the public, may work together to overcome the barriers to the development and provision of new treatments.

But it is not this day.

Read more: Not this day

About

The Stop the Saatchi Bill Alliance is a collaboration of physicians, surgeons, lawyers, journalists, broadcasters, academics, experts, bloggers and patients.

We receive no external funding and are all voluntary members who contribute time and expertise without remuneration due to shared, serious concerns about the proposed Medical Innovation Bill’s effects on patient safety and the law.

This website was designed by Andy Lewis and Alan Henness. The costs involved are:

Domain name registration: ~£10 for two years, paid for personally by Andy Lewis
WordPress template: one-off cost of ~£44, paid for personally by Andy Lewis
Webspace: donated for free by Alan Henness, valued at less than £23 per annum
Website backup and storage: ~2p per day, paid for personally by Alan Henness

Total value: less than £85.

We have no other expenditure.