Date: Wed, 11 Oct 2006 14:43:27 +0100

From: John Murphy

Subject: Football clubs

Re. potential conflicting interests:

I don't know about declaring a player fit to play when he is not being a good example of conflicting interests, but I think they could well exist.

If memory serves, didn't Bob Marley die of cancer that first appeared in a toe after an injury to the toe in a football game?

Well, suppose that Marley was a professional football player and his club paid for him to receive medical advice and treatment. What would happen if he went to the doctor with his dodgy toe, good and early and the doctor said:

"If we amputate the toe now, the cancer won't spread and kill you. However, there's a 98% chance that if we give you proper treatment (chemo, or radiotherapy or whatever), there's every chance you will make a full recovery".

Let's suppose, too, that

(1) our player is a bit thicko [I know I'm stretching your imaginations here], and
(2) that he can't work out the pros and cons of either option for himself, and
(3) that the club makes it clear that they are delighted there is a near-certainty that, with treatment, the player can make a full recovery.

What should the doctor advise here? And in advising the player should he factor in the fact that the club is paying the bill and would like the player to have treatment?

I dunno ....

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