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Health

Doctor gagged for doubting shaken baby syndrome

By Andy Coghlan

28 July 2010

Video: Shaken babies

New Scientist. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

(Image: Phil Schermeister/Corbis)

A PATHOLOGIST in the UK who argues that the trademark triad of symptoms of “shaken baby syndrome” (SBS) can have an innocent cause has been prevented from testifying in court as an expert witness. The restriction could stand until January 2012.

Yet, according to researchers and lawyers contacted by New Scientist, there are serious doubts about the safety of many shaken baby convictions. This is despite the fact that the triad of symptoms has been taken as evidence of murder for 40 years.

The pathologist in question, Marta Cohen of Sheffield Children’s Hospital, learned…

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