Pediatric Neuropathologist on Failed Science Behind Shaken Baby Syndrome: Doctors Value Their Careers More than the Truth

There are times throughout human history that a particular hypothesis or another is dogmatically accepted as truth. In the past, those who challenged the group thinking could be hanged or burned at the stake as a heretic. Even today, there can be a high price to pay for disagreeing with the status quo, even when there is strong evidence that shows that the group-think consensus is wrong. Shaken Baby Syndrome is one such hypothesis. Dr. Waney Squier is a world renowned pediatric neuropathologist whose intellectually honest quest for scientific truth has led her to change her belief about Shaken Baby Syndrome. She is joined by many other doctors and researchers who question the message that we have been taught to believe. Her decision almost cost her career, and even now she is banned from testifying in court against Shaken Baby Syndrome. She recently spoke out in a BBC interview about the science that led to her to change her mind about Shaken Baby Syndrome, and how many other doctors also know that the science does not support Shaken Baby Syndrome, but are too afraid to speak out because they fear losing their jobs.

Neuropathologist Doctor: I Believed in Shaken Baby Syndrome until Science Showed I was Wrong

Dr. Waney Squier is a renowned British pediatric neuropathologist and considered the UK's leading scientist in the field of pediatric neuropathology, and worked as a consultant at the John Radcliffe Hospital for 32 years. Until 16 years ago, she vehemently supported and adhered to the mainstream belief that when a medical professional suspects that an infant has been violently shaken, they must examine the baby for the “triad” of injuries believed to be associated with shaken baby syndrome (SBS). However, after examining the science behind SBS, Dr. Squier changed her opinion of SBS, and went from being a doctor who testified against parents and others who were accused of shaking their babies and injuring or killing them, to being a doctor who defended such parents and caregivers by offering other medical evidence that could explain such evidence apart from "shaking." As a result, her peers in the medical field attacked her, and in March of 2016 the UK General Medical Council (GMC) found Dr. Waney Squier guilty of “misleading her peers, being irresponsible, dishonest and bringing the reputation of the medical profession into disrepute” and she was "struck off the medical register" which prevented her from practicing medicine. However, over 350 doctors, scientists and lawyers rallied together in her support, and in an unprecedented move they sent a letter of protest to the British Medical Journal (BMJ), questioning the GMC’s decision. As a result, in October 2016, Dr. Waney Squier won her appeal and was reinstated. However, although Dr. Squier’s name was returned to the medical register, she has been prevented from giving evidence as an expert witness for another three years, which many believe was her punishment for standing up to the establishment. Dr. Waney Squier gave a TedX talk in November 2017 at Wadsworth, and it is now available on YouTube. In this TedX lecture, Dr. Squier speaks openly about the problems with SBS, and how thousands of parents are being wrongly accused of harming their babies.

Dr. Waney Squier Speaks out on Faulty Shaken Baby Science Used to Condemn the Innocent

Pediatric neuropathologist and expert defense witness Dr. Waney Squier was found guilty of serious professional misconduct by the UK’s General Medical Council earlier this year for daring to disagree with the medical establishment over the “science” behind shaken baby syndrome. After winning her appeal in October and recently returning to work, Dr. Squier finally broke her silence to tell the world her side of the story. Dr. Squier told reporters that she believed that it was time for a public inquiry into how this syndrome is still being used to condemn innocent people in the family and criminal courts.

Dr. Squier Wins Appeal but Banned from Telling the Truth in Court about Shaken Baby Syndrome

In March 2016, after being publicly humiliated and having her career torn to shreds by the General Medical Council (GMC), pediatric neuropathologist and expert defense witness Dr. Waney Squier was found guilty of “misleading her peers, being irresponsible, dishonest and bringing the reputation of the medical profession into disrepute.” However, if the GMC thought that that was the end of the matter, then they were mistaken, because less than eight months later, Dr. Squier was back to appeal their decision, and this time, she was not alone. After she had been discredited months earlier, 350 doctors, scientists and lawyers rallied together in her support, and in an unprecedented move had written a letter of protest to the British Medical Journal (BMJ), questioning the GMC’s decision. Professionals were not the only ones demanding answers, because since their decision, the GMC have been bombarded with petitions and letters from parents and supporters from all over the world. It appears that the overwhelming support for this professional has had the desired effect, because in October 2016, Dr. Waney Squier won her appeal. However, despite winning her appeal, as expected, there was a catch, and although Dr. Squier’s name was returned to the medical register, she has been prevented from giving evidence as an expert witness for another three years, which many believe was her punishment for standing up to the establishment.

350 Doctors and Scientists Appeal to Bring Back Skeptic ‘Shaken Baby’ Doctor

Earlier this year Health Impact News reported how the British General Medical Council (GMC) erased Dr. Waney Squier’s name from the medical register, effectively removing her license to practice medicine and ending her medical career. Known as the UK’s leading scientist in the field of pediatric neuropathology and having worked as a consultant at the John Radcliffe Hospital for 32 years, Dr. Squier's crime was that she found the medical diagnosis of "Shaken Baby Syndrome" (SBS) to be "rubbish" and without scientific merit. The diagnosis of SBS has been used in many courts to convict innocent parents of abusing their children by shaking them, and many of these convictions are now being overturned in the United States. According to the BBC, over 350 doctors, scientists and lawyers questioning the decision to remove Dr. Squier’s medical license have written a letter of support to the British Medical Journal. Dr. Squier's appeal to be put back on the register and be allowed to practice medicine again started this week.

Shaken Baby Syndrome Expert and World Renowned Neuropathologist Banned from Practicing Medicine

On March 14, 2016, Health Impact News published a report describing how the General Medical Council (GMC) had found neuropathologist and defense witness, Dr. Waney Squier, guilty of misleading her peers, being irresponsible, dishonest and bringing the reputation of the medical profession into disrepute. Taking further action to destroy her career and profession, on March 21, 2016, the GMC decided that it was in the public’s best interest to erase Dr. Squier’s name from the medical register, effectively removing her license to practice medicine and ending her medical career. Speaking to the Guardian newspaper on Monday, the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service, the disciplinary arm of the General Medical Council told reporters that they: “…had no option but to end Squier’s medical career, given her serial dishonesty.” Before being professionally assassinated, Dr. Squier was thought to be the UK’s leading scientist in the field of pediatric neuropathology and had worked as a consultant at the John Radcliffe Hospital for 32 years. Until 15 years ago, she, like many other professionals, had vehemently supported and adhered to the mainstream belief that when a medical professional suspects that an infant has been violently shaken, they must examine the baby for the “triad” of injuries believed to be associated with shaken baby syndrome (SBS). However, after studying and examining the scientific underpinnings of what is only, after all, a theory, Dr. Squier began to develop serious doubts, which led her to express her ever-increasing scientific skepticism. Those doubts are what ultimately led to the abrupt end of her successful career.

World Renowned Neuropathologist has Career Destroyed for Disproving Shaken Baby Syndrome

The medical theory of "shaken baby syndrome" (SBS) is quickly losing credibility, with many doctors, scientists, and attorneys now speaking out against SBS and the fact that innocent parents have been falsely accused of child abuse. Courts are now re-trying some cases based on testimonies from these doctors and professionals, and some cases have recently been over-turned. The medical profession is fighting back. The reasons are quite obvious. To admit that the theory behind SBS is false, would open the door to major litigation, as the theory has been used to convict thousands of parents of child abuse, and to perhaps remove tens of thousands of children from their homes and families. There is also massive federal funding available to seize these children, making them an asset to the state. So the apparent strategy of the medical profession is to attack those doctors now testifying against SBS on behalf of innocent parents, destroying their credibility and license to practice. Without their expert testimony, it will be much more difficult to fight false SBS convictions. The latest effort along that front is the action the British General Medical Council has taken against world renowned pediatric neuropathologist Dr. Waney Squier, who has now had her career effectively destroyed for testifying to the truth.

Neuropathologist Rejects Theory of Shaken Baby Syndrome

A UK neuropathologist has told the trial of a child-minder charged with assaulting a baby that shaken baby syndrome has no scientific validation. “I looked at many many cases of shaken baby syndrome,” she said. “I could no longer agree that this was a syndrome that had any scientific validation. I came to the view that I could not be sure this is a real syndrome.”