The Forensic Medical Experts' Association has been proposing these changes for a long time.
Prof. Dr. Sebnem Korur Fincanci, head of the Forensic Medical Department of Istanbul University Medical Faculty, said these changes were positive, but inadequate.
She emphasized that the Forensic Medical Institution should first become an independent establishment.
Metin Bakkalci, the co-president of the Turkish Doctors' Union said it was not medically ethical to have a third person in the room when a doctor is examining a patient.
The project by the Forensic Medical Institution
The Forensic Medical Institution has been preparing reports recently, which contradict to its previous reports, and which allow Wernicke Korsakoff patients to be sent back to prison. The doctors at the Forensic Medical offices have also been criticized for not acting independently in preparing reports for torture cases.
The Forensic Medical Institution will first implement its project, prepared in light of the latest European Union report, in Istanbul.
With this project, the Forensic Medical offices, which are currently located in courthouses, will be moved to hospitals.
Police and gendarme officials will not be present in the room when doctors are examining detainees, and the doctors will send their examination reports in a sealed envelope directly to the prosecutor's office. Only the prosecutor involved in the investigation will be able to open the envelope.
Steps to be taken
Fincanci said this project would not enable doctors to act independently, but added it was an important step taken toward the independence of the Forensic Medical Institution.
* The Forensic Medical procedures should be conducted independently.
* Forensic Medical procedures are part of health services and health services are given in health institutions. The Forensic Medical offices have no place in courthouses.
Fincanci said, when talking about the autonomy of the Forensic Medical offices, she meant administrational independence, not financial.
* The current procedure is the exact opposite. People pay for Forensic Medical services. It is wrong to make people pay for this service. We are demanding administrational independence instead of a financial one.
Doctor-patient confidentiality
Bakkalci said the project would regulate the doctor-detainee-police relations and allow confidentiality of the doctor-patient relationship.
"The issue is very clear in terms of medical ethics. The doctor-patient relationship should be independent and confidential. Exceptions can be made only if the doctor or the patient demands to have a third person involved," said Bakkalci.
Forensic Medical services should be independent
* There should be a comprehensive effort for organizing the Forensic Medical services in Turkey. Such services should be handled as a whole and be completely independent activities.
* However, the Forensic Medical Institution, recently, gave rise to concerns by clearly not acting independently. (YS/EA/YE)
