October 9th, 2012
Index has today called for the British government to deliver on its promise of real libel reform. Here Daisy Williams lists five cases demonstrate how libel law can stifle debate, curtail criticism and even endanger lives (more…)
Tags: Tags: ATIO, ATOS, Kaupthing, law, libel, libel reform, Peter Wilmshurst, Richard Dee, Simon Singh,
June 29th, 2012
Comics Dara Ó Briain and Dave Gorman and scientist Professor Brian Cox joined Index and the Libel Reform Campaign at Downing Street to demand a public interest defence in the defamation bill
Tags: Tags: Ben Goldacre, Brian Cox, chi onwarah, dara o'briain, Dave Gorman, David Davis, david marshall, defamation, English PEN, Evan Harris, free expression, free speech, Index on Censorship, Jo Glanville, Kamila Shamsie, kate briscoe, katie o'donovan, Kirsty Hughes, Leah Borromeo, legal beagles, libel reform, lord beecham, lord mcnally, Mumsnet, Paul Farrelly, Peter Wilmshurst, robert flello, sense about science, simon hughes, Simon Singh, stuart jones, tim appenzeller, tracey brown, which?,
April 20th, 2011
NMT Medical, the US company which pursued cardiologist Peter Wilmshurst in the London libel courts for almost four years, has announced that it is ceasing operations and selling off its assets. (more…)
Tags: Tags: law, libel, libel reform, Peter Wilmshurst, Peter Wilmshurt, science, UK,
March 25th, 2011
Cardiologist Peter Wilmshurst is facing a fourth libel suit from medical instrument firm NMT. The case relates to the writ NMT issued on 26th Nov 2010 about Peter’s interview on the Today programme on 27 Nov 2009.Tags: Tags: law, libel reform, Peter Wilmshurst, UK,
November 30th, 2010
Today in the High Court US medical device company NMT Medical was ordered to pay £200,000 into court in their libel action against cardiologist Dr Peter Wilmshurst. Master Foster ruled that if NMT Medical do not pay this money by 18 January 2010 their libel claim will be struck out and the court will decide how much of Dr Wilmshurst’s costs NMT Medical should pay.
Dr Wilmshurst has been fighting since 2007 to defend his comments about a clinical trial of a heart device manufactured by NMT Medical. Losing the case could mean he loses his house. NMT Medical recently threatened to sue Dr Wilmshurst for libel again for comments he made about his case in a BBC Radio 4 Today Programme piece on the chilling effects of England’s libel laws on scientific and medical discussionsTags: Tags: libel reform, NMT, Peter Wilmshurst,
November 4th, 2010
US company NMT Medical has threatened to step up its libel action against Dr Peter Wilmshurst, over comments he made last year on BBC Radio 4′s Today programme. The cardiologist is already being sued by the company for criticising its clinical trials of a device to treat migraines, at a medical conference in the USA in 2007. NMT has alleged that Wilmshurst’s most recent remarks suggested the company “sought to conceal his review”, and intends to take legal action on the grounds of defamation. It is not yet clear whether this will be a separate case or an addition to the existing libel suit.Tags: Tags: libel, NMT Medical, Peter Wilmshurst, science,
December 14th, 2009
In 2009 the government, courts and the police have connived in the suppression of investigative journalism and scientific research. But campaigns for free expression are gaining ground, says John Kampfner
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Tags: Tags: English PEN, Index on Censorship, John Kampfner, law, libel, libel reform, Peter Wilmshurst, sense about science, UK,
December 11th, 2009
Not everyone can be as lucky as I was, says Alexei Sayle. Our defamation laws are as outdated as barristers’ wigs and gowns
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Tags: Tags: Alexei Sayle, law, libel, libel reform, Peter Wilmshurst, UK,
