The Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer QC, has decided it is not in the public interest to prosecute 2 doctors who were caught in a Daily Telegraph sting involving a fake female patient requesting an abortion procedure. There was insufficient evidence to prove that either doctor was willing to perform an abortion on fetal sex grounds alone. He concluded that there was probably sufficient evidence for a prosecution based on the adequacy of their medical assessment of the risks to the mental and physical health of the patient ( and any children of the family). However, given the limited professional guidance, the wide discretion given to doctors in this area and the widespread practice of pre signing HSA/1 forms, there would be considerable uncertainity over the success of any prosecution. As such, it would not be in the public interest to prosecute. Interestingly, the DPP suggested that it was more appropriate in the circumstances for any assessment to be made by the General Medical Council. For full details of the decision go to: http://www.cps.gov.uk/news/latest_news/dpp_abortion_case_fuller_reasons/