McGoldrick’s court apology for letting patients and profession down

McGoldrick’s court apology for letting patients and profession down

22 June 2016

A WIDE-RANGING public apology has been issued on behalf of Downpatrick doctor Hugh McGoldrick.

Speaking through his legal team before being remanded in custody at a pre-sentence hearing at Downpatrick Crown Court, the recently retired GP apologised to his patients, Sanofi — the medical company at the centre of his case — his profession and his family.

Addressing Judge Piers Grant on behalf of the 59 year-old defendant, defence barrister Frank O’Donoghue QC emphasised that this was a first offence for the doctor.

Describing the “exemplary life” of the hardworking GP, he said McGoldrick had “commanded the trust and respect of the local community and his patients” for over 30 years.

On his behalf, Mr O’Donoghue said he wished to apologise to a number of persons affected by his conduct, starting with the 10 patients involved in the clinical trial.

Conceding that the defendant had always maintained that he thought he was acting in their interest at the time, Mr O’Donoghue said he now accepted he was wrong.

“For that he apologises to them,” he began.

He said the defendant also wished to apologise to the patients of his successful GP practice, which had reached over 5,000 people at its height and which had been “blighted in recent years with personal and professional disaster for Dr McGoldrick.”

“He realises in terms of public confidence, his conduct has had a significant impact on the patients of his practice and for that he apologises,” he said.

“He wishes to apologise to Sanofi. He accepts they relied upon him as an investigator to conduct this drug trial on their behalf, and through his conduct he failed to do this properly.

“In hindsight, he will have to accept that he never read the protocol properly, if he had done so he would have realised how tight it was. He allowed his own personal judgement to dominate his professional judgement.”

Mr O’Donoghue said the defendant also wished to apologise to his family who had stood by him and continued to do so.

“The loss of social standing and reputation has been huge, solely due to the conduct of Dr McGoldrick,” he said.

Mr O’Donoghue said the UCD medical graduate also wished to apologise to his profession.

“He realises that by his conduct he had let the profession down. It is a matter of huge regret to him,” he said.

“He wishes to apologise to the court. This case should never have got to the stage of being a criminal trial.”