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

Media articles

The following articles and blog posts have been written about the Medical Innovation Bill (the Saatchi Bill) and Chris Heaton-Harris’s later version of it, the Access to Medical Treatments (Innovation) Bill. Older articles are listed here.

If you think we have missed any, please let us know.

NOTE: Recent items are added to the top of the list.

Date Author Publication Title
04/04/16 Isabel Teare life science law — Mills & Reeve Tough treatment for an innovative proposal – what happened to the Saatchi Bill?
21/03/16 Editorial The Pharmaceutical Journal Consult with healthcare organisations before proceeding with bill
18/03/16 Editorial The Pharmaceutical Journal Access to Medical Treatments (Innovation) Bill will not serve healthcare professionals
17/02/16 Paul Rumley The Clinical Negligence Team MEDICAL INNOVATION LEGISLATION : COMMON SENSE PREVAILS?
16/02/16 Dr Michael Devlin Medical Defence Union Journal Do medical innovators really need new laws?
28/01/16 Dr Darren Conway PhD Clinical Risk Opening Pandora’s Box of innovations?
28/01/16 Isabel Hardman The Spectator MPs plan to water down controversial ‘Saatchi Bill’ on medical treatments
27/01/16 Katherine Murphy, Chief Executive, Patients Association

Professor Dame Sue Bailey, Chair, Academy of Medical Royal Colleges

Dr Mark Porter, Chair of Council, British Medical Association

Dr Suzy Lishman, President, Royal College of Pathologists

Professor Jane Dacre, President, Royal College of Physicians

Mr Mike Lavelle-Jones, President, Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh

Professor Neena Modi, President, Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health

Dr Pallavi Bradshaw, Senior Medicolegal Adviser, Medical Protection Society

Professor Derek Alderson, Vice-President, Royal College of Surgeons

Letter to MPs
25/01/16 John van der Luit-Drummond Solicitors’ Journal End of the road for Saatchi’s innovation Bill?
22/01/16 Action against Medical Accidents www.avma.org.uk Access to Medical Treatments (Innovation) Bill to be amended
27/12/15 Nigel Poole QC Learned Friend Trial and Grimstone
15/12/15 Professor Sir Alasdair Breckenridge

Dr Peter Feldschreiber

Solicitors Journal Innovation in medicines
15/12/15 Academy of Medical Royal Colleges
British Medical Association
Medical Protection Society
Patients Association
Royal College of Pathologists
Royal College of Psychiatrists
Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
Royal College of Physicians
Joint letter on Access to Medical Treatments (Innovation) Bill
18/11/15 Matthew Westlake Leigh Day INNOVATION | noun | in•no•va•tion | the act or process of introducing new ideas, devices, or methods
03/11/15 David Hills openDemocracy A dangerous game – the Saatchi bill returns
20/10/15 Andrew Clayton Lexology/Penningtons Manches LLP The Access to Medical Treatments (Innovation) Bill threatens to erode patient safety
20/10/15 Simon Wessely, Professor of Psychological Medicine, King’s College London

Gregory Smith, Policy Analyst, Royal College of Psychiatrists

theconversation.com Why the Saatchi bill has been flawed from the outset
19/10/15 Sofia suturedgrape blog I’ve been somewhat confused, says MP
17/10/15 John Hyde Law Gazette Revised ‘Saatchi bill’ is back but critics still fearful
16/10/15 Heidi Alexander MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Health www.heidialexander.org.uk Access to Medical Treatments (Innovation Bill) (speech in the House of Commons)
16/10/15 Dr Sarah Wollaston MP The Huffington Post Half-Baked and Reheated, the Medical Anecdote Bill Returns to the Commons Today
16/10/15 Steven Swinford Telegraph Doctors who carry out innovative treatments could be given greater protection
15/10/15 Sofia suturedgrape blog Short shrift for Saatchi spin-off
15/10/15 Bloodwise Our response to the Access to Medical Treatments (Innovation) Bill
15/10/15 Aisling Burnand Association of Medical Research Charities AMRC’s take on the Access to Medical Treatments (Innovation) Bill
15/10/15 Tollers LLP Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health Attack Saatchi Bill
15/10/15 Anne Williams www.politics.co.uk The access to medical treatments bill will put children at risk
14/10/15 Sofia suturedgrape blog The endless repetition of a failed experiment
14/10/15 Academy of Medical Royal Colleges Access to Medical Treatments (Innovations) Bill
14/10/15 Suzanne White Leigh Day Saatchi Bill – Round 2
14/10/15 Iain Brassington BMJ Blogs Stop What You’re Doing: This is Important.
14/10/15 The British Medical Association Parliamentary Brief on the Access to Medical Treatments (Innovation) Bill Second reading Friday 16 October
14/10/15 Katherine Murphy The Guardian The medical innovation bill seeks to save lives. In fact it will endanger them
14/10/15  Royal College of Surgeons Access to Medical Treatments (Innovation) Bill House of Commons, Second Reading Briefing
13/10/15 Professor José Miola School of Law, University of Leicester Access to Medical Treatments (Innovation) Bill to Have First Reading on Friday, 16 October
13/10/15 Professor Neena Modi Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health Access to Medical Treatments – stop the Bill now!
10/10/15 Darren Conway PhD Tollers LLP Medical Innovation Bill – Opening Pandora’s Box?
09/10/15 David Dawson Price Slater Gawne We don’t need this legislation …
09/10/15  Action against Medical Accidents (AvMA) Access to Medical Treatments (Innovation) Bill “unnecessary and dangerous”
05/10/15 Ian K Ritchie, President The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Briefing email sent to MPs
25/09/15 H Bolton BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology Saatchi’s Medical Innovation Bill: progressive, unnecessary or dangerous?
23/09/15 Thompsons Solicitors LLP MPs to debate controversial medical bill amongst concerns for patient safety
01/09/15 Dr Michael Powers QC

Dr Anthony Barton

The Times Should some peers vanish, as Churchill said?
27/08/15 Prof José Miola, School of Law, University of Leicester, Social Science Research Network, pending publication in Medical Law International Bye Bye Bolitho? The Curious Case of the Medical Innovation Bill
27/08/15 Adam Horner McHale & Co. Solicitors Blog Lord Saatchi’s Medical Innovation Bill
29/06/15 Chris Heaton-Harris MP daventrycalling My Private Members’ Bill – “Access to Medical Treatment (Innovation) Bill
19/06/15 Ali Malsher Anthony Gold Solicitors The Medical Innovation Bill is back!
18/06/15 Dr Mark Porter, Chair, British Medical Association Council

Miss Clare Marx, President, Royal College of Surgeons

Professor Dame Sue Bailey, President,Academy of Medical Royal Colleges

Professor Jane Dacre, President, Royal College of Physicians

Dr Maureen Baker, Chair, Royal College of General Practitioners

Professor Sir Simon Wessely, President, Royal College of Psychiatrists

Dr J P Van Besouw, President, Royal College of Anaesthetists

Dr Suzy Lishman, President, Royal College of Pathologists

Mr Ian Ritchie, President, Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh

Independent Medical Innovation Bill needs full scrutiny
18/06/15 John van der Luit-Drummond Solicitors’ Journal Saatchi ‘stuck in the past’ while Falconer looks to the future
13/06/15 Recording of the 10th annual Slater and Gordon Medical Law Forum hosted by the Australian Centre for Health Law Research, held in March 2015 Medical Law Forum: Innovation – Saatchi Bill (video)
12/06/15 Bernadette Richards

Gerard Porter

Wendy Lipworth

Tamra Lysaght

Clinical Ethics The Medical Innovation Bill: Still more harm than good
12/06/15 David Dawson Price Slater Gawne The 2nd coming of the Medical Innovation Bill
11/06/15 David Hills openDemocracy Saatchi’s Bill could harm thousands
10/06/15 Catriona Stirling Cloisters The Medical Innovation Bill Rears Its Head Once More
09/06/15 Nigel Poole QC Learned Friend When the facts change….
06/06/15 Steve Cornforth Steve Cornforth Blog Saatchi Bill – Pointless and Dangerous
05/06/15 Isabel Hardman The Spectator Lord Saatchi’s Medical Innovation Bill is coming back – but it won’t help cancer patients
05/06/15 Sofia www.dissentingdoc.com Novel use of procedures to avoid scrutiny
05/06/15 Anne Williams www.politics.co.uk Comment: Saatchi’s advertising talent is pushing through a bill without scrutiny
29/05/15 The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Medical Innovation Bill
26/03/15 Nils Hoppe, Leibniz University, Germany

José Miola, University of Leicester, UK

Medical Law International Innovation in medicine through degeneration in law? A critical perspective on the Medical Innovation Bill
17/03/15 Ingrid Torjesen The Pharmaceutical Journal Saatchi bill defeated at emotionally charged HealthWatch UK debate
09/03/15 Scott Rees & Co Saatchi Bill – an Innovative way to cover up Medical Negligence
06/03/15 Medical Defence Union Medical innovation will continue without legislation MDU says
05/03/15 Malcolm McKenzie I’d Rather be in Resus blog Further comment on the Saatchi Bill
05/03/15 Rhiannon Howe The Lancet Oncology Medical Innovation Bill terminated
05/03/15 The Royal Pharmaceutical Society The Times Saatchi bill ‘danger’
05/03/15 Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research MEDICAL INNOVATION BILL – POLICY UPDATE
05/03/15 Academy of Medical Sciences,

Arthritis Research UK,

Association of Medical Research Charities,

British Heart Foundation,

Leukemia & Lymphoma Research,

Medical Research Council,

Motor Neurone Disease Association,

Parkinsons’ UK,

Wellcome Trust

Medical research charities briefing on the Medical Innovation Bill – Commons 2nd Reading, 06-03-15
04/03/15 David Dawson Price Slater Gawne The Medical Innovation Bill is not (yet) dead
03/03/15 Liberal Guerilla Liberal Guerilla Mistruths, grotesque insults and the Medical Innovation Bill
03/03/15 John van der Luit-Drummond Solicitors’ Journal Saatchi’s Bill should remain dead and buried
03/03/15 Academy of Royal Medical Colleges Medical Innovation Bill not to proceed – Academy of Royal Medical Colleges statement
02/03/15 Dr Anthony Barton The Times Saatchi bill row
01/03/15 The Guardian Lib Dems veto Saatchi’s medical innovation bill
28/02/15 Norman Lamb, Liberal Democrat Health Minister The Telegraph Norman Lamb: Why we had to axe Lord Saatchi’s Bill and think again
26/02/15 The Medical Protection Society Medical Innovation Bill – MPS briefing for Bill’s Second reading in the House of Commons
26/02/15 Prof Michael Baum openDemocracy The Saatchi Bill is not about ‘innovation’ but ‘improvisation’
26/02/15 Royal College of Surgeons Medical Innovation Bill Briefing for Second Reading (House of Commons)
25/02/15 John Baron MP, Chairman, All-Party Parliamentary Group on Cancer

Paul Burstow MP, Vice-Chairman, All-Party Parliamentary Group on Cancer

Grahame Morris MP, Vice-Chairman, All-Party Parliamentary Group on Cancer

Eric Ollerenshaw MP, Chairman, All-Party Parliamentary Group on Pancreatic Cancer

Sarah Wollaston MP, Chairwoman, Health Select Committee

The Telegraph Saatchi’s misguided Bill
23/02/15 Prof Michael Baum The Times Improvisation bill
23/02/15 Peter Walsh Action against Medical Accidents The Medical Innovation Bill: Could this be the most bizarre health Act ever?
23/02/15 Peter Walsh The Times Medical innovation
22/02/15 Dr Anthony Barton The Sunday Times Unwelcome Bill
17/02/15 The Patients Association Position Statement
16/02/15 David Hills openDemocracy Lord Saatchi and the medical anecdote PR machine
12/02/15 Mills & Reeve LLP Medical Innovation Bill – a defence to innovative clinical practices?
05/02/15 Dr Marika Davies Independent Practitioner Today New law will backfire
05/02/15 Medical Defence Union Welsh Assembly adopts stance on medical innovation which is right for doctors and patients
04/02/15 Prof Michael Baum The bmj Saatchi is right to promote medical innovation but his bill is wrong way to do it
03/02/15 Welsh Assembly Legislative Consent Memorandum: Medical Innovation Bill
03/02/15 Elfyn Henderson National Assembly for Wales Research Service Pushing boundaries: the Medical Innovation Bill and the constitution
31/01/15 Nick Ross HealthWatch UK The Medical Innovation Bill: kill or cure?
27/01/15 Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research Policy Update – Medical Innovation Bill
26/01/15 Law Gazette Saatchi bill heads to commons but running out of time
26/01/15 AnaesthesiaUK Medical Innovation Bill likely to inhibit innovation
26/01/15 John Hyde The Law Society Gazette Saatchi bill heads to commons but running out of time
23/01/15 Medical Defence Union Medical Innovation Bill more likely to inhibit than promote innovation MDU says
23/01/15 John van der Luit-Drummond Solicitors’ Journal Law firm advertising and a tenuous link to the Saatchi Bill
23/01/15 Academy of Medical Royal Colleges Academy Statement – Medical Innovation Bill – House of Lords Third Reading – 23 January 2015
23/01/15 BMA Medical Innovation Bill House of Lords Third Reading Briefing 23 January 2015
22/01/15 Academy of Medical Royal Colleges Academy Statement – Medical Innovation Bill – House of Lords Third Reading – 23 January 2015
22/01/15 Genetic Alliance The Medical Innovation Bill An update – January 2015
22/01/15 Anne Williams openDemocracy Maurice Saatchi, his Medical Innovation Bill, and the booming ‘orphan drugs’ market
21/01/15 Jonathan Harrison Legal Musings Blog The Saatchi Bill – Part Three
16/01/15 Jonathan Harrison Legal Musings Blog More thoughts on the Saatchi Bill
05/01/15 John van der Luit-Drummond Solicitors Journal Lord Woolf unrepentant over failure to substantiate support for Saatchi Bill
04/01/15 April Cashin-Garbutt www.news-medical.net Saatchi Bill: an interview with Dr. David Collingridge, Editor-in-Chief, The Lancet Oncology
28/12/14 Nils Hoppe, José Miola Medical Law International Innovation in medicine through degeneration in law? A critical perspective on the medical innovation bill
26/12/14 Dr Michael J Powers QC,

Dr Anthony Barton

The Telegraph Doctors being sued
17/12/14 John van der Luit-Drummond Solicitors Journal Huzzah! Lord Woolf has written a book but still dodges the question
12/12/14 Mark D’Arcy BBC What will be the fate of Lord Saatchi’s bill?
12/12/14 Holly Watt The Telegraph Lord Saatchi bill on medical innovation faces criticism from doctors
12/12/14 Association of Personal Injury Lawyers Saatchi Bill “a danger to patients”
12/12/14 Academy of Medical Sciences,

Arthritis Research UK,

Association of Medical Research Charities,

British Heart Foundation,

Leukemia & Lymphoma Research,

Medical Research Council,

Motor Neurone Disease Association,

Parkinsons’ UK,

Wellcome Trust

Joint statement on the Medical Innovation Bill
12/12/14 Andy Lewis The Quackometer Medical Innovation or Quackery?
12/12/14 Rowena Mason The Guardian ‘Quack’s charter’ warning over bill on untested medicines
11/12/14 John van der Luit-Drummond Solicitors Journal Former Lord Chief Justice unable to substantiate argument for Medical Innovation Bill
11/12/14 Professor Sir Simon Wessely Royal College of Psychiatrists RCPsych’s statement on the Medical Innovation Bill
09/12/14 Dr Sarah Wollaston MP www.drsarah.org.uk Patient Safety and Medical Innovation
08/12/14 New Law Journal Lawsuits for medical innovation?
05/12/14 David Dawson Price Slater Gawne The possible consequences of Lord Saatchi’s Medical Innovation Bill
03/12/14 Alice Howarth The Guardian Expect clinics offering ‘integrative therapy’ for cancer if Saatchi bill passes
28/11/14 The Lancet Oncology Undermining the Hippocratic Oath: the Medical Innovation Bill
26/11/14 John van der Luit-Drummond Solicitors Journal ‘PR machine’ Lord Saatchi’s Bill will create more litigation
26/11/14 Jonathan Harrison Legal Musings Blog Thoughts on the Saatchi Bill
24/11/14 Dr Michael Powers QC,

Dr Anthony Barton

The Guardian Medical innovation bill needs examining
24/11/14 Todd W Harpocrates Speaks The Saatchi Bill, or, How England Could Become Quack Paradise
21/11/14 Dr Michael Powers QC Lexis Nexis The unwanted side effects of the Saatchi Bill
19/11/14 David Hills The Guardian Attacking critics is no way to fix the Saatchi bill
14/11/14 John Hyde The Law Society Gazette Cancer Research UK voices opposition to Saatchi bill
13/11/14 Letter The Times Medical innovation
13/11/14 Kay Lay The Times Saatchi cancer drug bill could be harmful, 100 experts warn
13/11/14 Leader The Times Against Cancer
13/11/14 Dr Clive Peedell National Health Action Party Dr Clive Peedell behind Times letter from over 100 cancer specialists opposing Saatchi Bill
13/11/14 Saurav Dutt Clinical Negligence Law Leading medics oppose Saatchi Bill in letter to The Times
13/11/14 Janine Collier Tees Law The Saatchi Bill – An update
13/11/14 Gareth Iacobucci British Medical Journal More than 100 cancer experts attack Saatchi bill as potentially dangerous
06/11/14 Adam Horner Linder Myers Solicitors Medical experiments could be extended to humans – the Saatchi Bill
30/10/14 David Pannick QC The Times Medical innovation that does no harm should be encouraged
29/10/14 Lars Bevanger Deutsche Welle Saatchi Bill’ wants doctors to experiment with drugs on terminal cancer patients
28/10/14 Darren Conway The Telegraph Letter to the Editor
27/10/14 New Law Journal New Law Journal Saatchi’s Medical Innovation Bill may impact on patient safety
25/10/14 Daniel Martin Daily Mail It’s too risky to use untested drugs on the terminally ill, says Lord Winston
24/10/14 Academy of Medical Sciences,

Arthritis Research UK,

Association of Medical Research Charities,

British Heart Foundation,

Leukemia & Lymphoma Research,

Medical Research Council,

Motor Neurone Disease Association,

Parkinsons UK,

Wellcome Trust

Briefing on the Medical Innovation Bill House of Lords Committee Stage
24/10/14 Peter Oborne and Anne Williams The Telegraph The ‘Saatchi Bill’ is dangerous and will bring nothing but harm
24/10/14 Prof David Colquhoun www.dcscience.net The Saatchi bill won’t find a cure for cancer, but it will encourage charlatans
24/10/14 Charlie Cooper Independent So-called Saatchi Bill under fire..
24/10/14 Tim Ecott Voice of Russia UK Medical innovation bill is “maverick’s charter” for untested drugs, QC says
22/10/14 David Nicholl openDemocracy Saatchi’s ‘Medical Innovation Bill’ will benefit lawyers and charlatans, not patients
21/10/14 Association of Personal Injury Lawyers Association of Personal Injury Lawyers Medical Innovation Bill Myth Vs Reality
21/10/14 pharmaphorum www.pharmaphorum.com UK experimental drugs bill ‘could hit clinical trial recruitment’
20/10/14 Suzanne White Sky News Sky News
20/10/14 John Hyde The Law Society Gazette Government ‘minded’ to back Saatchi’s innovation bill
29/09/14 Ali Malsher Anthony Gold Solicitors The disaster that is the Medical Innovation Bill