27 August 1997 The Forum Editor The Straits Times 390 Kim Seng Road Singapore 239495 Dear Editor DO NOT PRICE MEDICAL RESPONSIBILITY Reasoning that "doctors should be responsible people", the Health Minister argued that doctors who break their five-year government bond should be subject to de-registration (Straits Times, 26 Aug 97). Confusingly, the Health Ministry now says that only doctors who break their bond without paying damages of $350,000 to $400,000 would be de-registered (Straits Times, 27 Aug 97). If irresponsibility, i.e., breaking the bond, is the basis for de-registration, then all bond-breakers should be de-registered, regardless of whether they are able to pay damages. Otherwise, the public must draw the ridiculous conclusions that medical responsibility has a price and rich doctors are mysteriously more responsible than poor doctors. I find more rational the argument of the various Members of Parliament that de-registration should be reserved as punishment for medical incompetence or malpractice. The Health Ministry pleads that the de-registration clause is not new. Singaporeans have recently been exhorted to abandon old mindsets. Should not the Health Ministry do so too? Yours sincerely _____________________ Chong Fu Shin Francis