Co-Editor - The PMFA Journal

Andrew Burd is a British trained Plastic Surgeon, a Harvard trained Scientist, a School of Life trained Educator and a Pragmatic Ethicist. He was the Professor of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the Centenary Professor of Regenerative Medicine and Translational Science at the School of Tropical Medicine in Kolkata, India. He is currently completing his PhD looking at the potential for Big Data to influence Health Policy. He is the founding and current Editor of The PMFA Journal. He is a staunch patient advocate with uncompromising views on patient safety.

Latest Contribution


Gross Negligence Manslaughter in Healthcare: The medico-legal dilemma (part 10) – Informed consent (ii)

In the context of medicine, we typically speak of informed consent as having both an ethical and a legal basis. The ethics are related to patient autonomy and human rights. The legal perspective relates to the definition of what occurs if consent is not obtained, and a physical intervention occurs (assault or battery at a minimum and it would appear, gross negligence if things go wrong).


Gross Negligence Manslaughter in Healthcare: The medico-legal dilemma (part 9) – Informed consent (i)

It is one year ago today that Justice Judianna Barnes sentenced Dr Mak Wan-ling to be incarcerated for three and half years for a crime she did not commit (see parts 1-4 of this blog).


Gross Negligence Manslaughter in Healthcare: The medico-legal dilemma (part 8) – Propofol

Propofol played a significant role in the trial of Dr Vanessa Kwan. Vanessa went to South Korea to learn about cosmetic surgery. Cosmetic surgeons in South Korea use a lot of propofol in office-based practice. Ipso facto, Vanessa learned about propofol and its use in cosmetic surgery.