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 11) – Misinformed assent

I wonder how fast time goes in prison? 2022.This was Vanessa’s first New Year in prison. Dr Mak’s second. Two female doctors, both in their thirties. Dr Mak graduated from the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and Dr Kwan, Vanessa, from Hong Kong University (HKU). Both are now incarcerated on the basis of myths. It is a disgrace.


Letter from Hong Kong (6 January 2022)

So now we are entering the third year of this global pandemic. It is changing, evolving and is bringing out the very best and the very worst in humanity. Science and scientists have had a real bashing, but then who by? Quacks, aardvarks and gobbeldygooks. Looking back is looking forward.


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).