http://www.jabs.org.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=668
It is essential that anyone who was
involved in the MMR litigation gives their attention to this notice
MMR JUDGE FAILED TO DISCLOSE HE WAS BROTHER OF
Glaxo SmithKline DIRECTOR AND LANCET BOSS
Just three days ago I discovered while going over the records for 2004 that the
judge, Mr Justice Davis (aka Sir Nigel Anthony Lamert Davis), who had dismissed
the appeal over the removal of funding of the MMR litigation by the Legal
Services Commission was the brother of Lancet proprietor (CEO Reed Elsevier)
Crispin (Henry Lamert) Davis who at the time had also recently become a
non-executive director of Glaxo SmithKline. Though this has not been reported in
the media the following press announcement was issued by the judiciary yesterday
afternoon:
"In 2003 Mr Justice Davis's brother was appointed as a
Non-Executive Director of Glaxo SmithKline, a company which was formed as a
result of a merger with Smith Kline Beecham. At the date of the hearing before
Davis J, the possibility of any conflict of interest arising from his brother's
position did not occur to him.
"If he was wrong, any possible remedy must be sought from
the Court of Appeal."
Former litigants should complain without delay to the Office for Judicial
Complaints, focussing on the GSK conflict. Clearly if the judge had said at the
time that his brother was a director of GSK but he intended to hear the case
anyway his decision would have been regarded with a great deal more scepticism:
http://www.judicialcomplaints.gov.uk/
They should also write without delay to their MPs, and they should contact
anyone they know who was also party to the litigation, and draw their attention
to this notice. It is very important that as many people do this as soon as
possible.
People may like to note the sequence of events:
1) July 2003 Lancet proprietor Crispin Davis become a non-executive director of
MMR manufacturer Glaxo SmithKline
2) February 20, 2004. The Lancet throws Andrew Wakefield to the wolves for
tenuous reasons. He is dragged through the mud by the BBC and Sunday Times for
four days.
3) February 27, 2004. Mr Justice Davis dismisses the litigants appeal for
restitution of funding.
4) June 2004. Crispin Davis knighted by the Blair government.
John Stone