Introduction to Forensic Pharmacy Fayad Bin Abdus Salam, NUB

Introduction to Forensic Pharmacy

Forensic medicine:

Forensic or legal medicine (forensic = of or used in Courts of Law) deals with the application of medical knowledge to aid in the administration of justice. It is used by the legal authorities for the solution of legal problems. Some examples are: applying the medical knowledge in deciding cases of injuries, murder, suicide, accidents, sexual offences, poisoning, etc. In short, it deals with medical aspect of law.

Aims of Forensic medicine

To aid the administration of justice by correlating much medical knowledge and applying it to the purposes of law.

Truth or nearest reasonable approach to it that is possible from what is observed is the sole aim of Forensic Medicine.

Its particular field of activity is judicial investigation, both civil & criminal. Though it does not itself prove the case of prosecution. It corroborates medical evidence in all cases of crime involving person, e.g. homicide, suicide, assault, sexual offences, traffic accidents, poisoning etc.

It finds out the medical evidence in all cases of crime involving the person.

It deals with medical aspects of law.

Forensic medicine is subdivided into branches, such as:

Forensic pathology: Branch of Forensic Medicine which deals with the study & application of medical & pathological principles in determining the cause & manner of death in case of violence, suspicious, unexplained, unexpected, sudden & medically unattended deaths.

Forensic Toxicology: Important subdivision of forensic medicine, dealing with the comprehensive study of poisons, as regards to their sources, characters & properties, signs & symptoms they produce, their fatal dose & fatal period, the details about the treatment to be undertaken for combating the effects of individual poison & the postmortem appearances in the event of death.

Forensic Ballistics: Branch of forensic medicine concerned with the investigation of firearms ammunition & of the problems arising from their use.

Forensic Serology: It is the branch of forensic medicine which deals with the examination of blood, saliva, urine or other body fluids and seminal staining & their specific tests to detect crimes.

Forensic Radiology(X- ray): Branch of forensic medicine which deals with X-ray examination for determination of age in various criminal cases, detection of foetus, missile, diagnosis of head injuries, live birth etc.

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Introduction to Forensic Pharmacy Fayad Bin Abdus Salam, NUB

Forensic Dactylography: It is the branch of Forensic medicine which deals with finger print system, which can be regarded as the most characteristic datum for establishment of absolute identity of an individual.

Forensic Thanatology: Branch of Forensic medicine dealing with the medical & legal aspects of death.

Forensic Psychiatry: It deals with the application of psychiatry for evaluations in legal purposes.

Forensic Obstetrics: Branch of Forensic medicine dealing normal & abnormal deliveries.

Forensic Odontology: Branch of Forensic medicine which deals with the science of dentistry as it relates to the law.

Forensic Criminology: Branch of Forensic medicine which deals with the crimes & criminals.

Clinical Forensic Medicine: Deals with living person.

Scope of Forensic medicine:

Forensic medicine deals with those aspects of medical science which are needed for application of scientific facts in legal matter, both civil & criminal.

It embraces all those aspects of medicine including its fundamental, physical, chemical & biological principles such as specialties like forensic pathology & toxicology in order to bring it into partnership with the process of law.

It deals with the application of principles and knowledge of facts of medicine to the purposes of law, both civil & criminal.

There are two distinct aspects of law-medicine relationship:

1) Forensic medicine and 2) Medical jurisprudence.

They are essentially different subjects, but are closely related.

Medical jurisprudence:

Medical jurisprudence (juris = law; prudential = knowledge) deals with legal responsibilities of the physician with particular reference to those arising from physician-patient relationship, such as medical negligence cases, consent, rights & duties of doctors, serious professional misconduct, medical ethics, etc. In short, it deals with legal aspects of practice of medicine.

Role of medical jurisprudence:

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Introduction to Forensic Pharmacy Fayad Bin Abdus Salam, NUB

It is the subject concerned with the knowledge of law in relation to the practice of medicine.

It deals with the responsibilities of the doctors with particular reference to those arising from doctor-patient relationship, doctor-doctor relationship and doctor-state relationship such as medical negligence cases, consent, rights and duties of doctors, infamous conduct, Medical ethics etc.

In short, it deals with legal aspects of medical practice.

Difference between Forensic medicine & Medical jurisprudence:

Forensic Medicine Medical Jurisprudence1. It deals with medical aspects of law. 1. It deals with the legal aspects of

medical practice.2. It brings the medical personnel into contact with courts of law.

2. It brings relationship between doctor & patient, also doctor & society.

3. It deals with the application of medical & para-medical knowledge in the administration of justice.

3. It deals with legal responsibilities of doctors with particular reference to those arising from:

Doctor-patient relationship Doctor-state relationship Doctor-doctor relationship Medical negligence cases.

4. It has some subdivisions. 4. No such subdivisions. 5. Can be applied to all. 5. Applied only to the doctors.

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