Anger Over Dental X-Ray Trial for Asylum Seekers
A controversial trial to use dental X-rays to identify the age of young asylum seekers has been launched without the backing of the NHS medical ethics watchdog, it has been revealed.
The UK Border Agency has launched the controversial trial, despite being advised to wait for the outcome of research by the NHS watchdog, which is designed to ensure that practices and protocol are ethical.
The trial has already been started by the UK Border Agency, just days after chief medical officer, Sally Davies, asked for reassurance that the scheme would not begin without a positive outcome from the watchdog trial, which was launched last week.
The UK border agency has also refused to answer questions about whether the trial has been backed by the National Ethics Research Service; however, the NERS has since said that the trial has been recommended for advice, but no formal approval has yet been made.
The trial has been brought in following complaints by immigration officials that asylum seekers are lying about their age to avoid deportation; according to immigration staff, many are claiming to be under the age of 18 so that they can stay in the UK.
Liam Donaldson, Sally Davies’ predecessor has criticised the scheme, claiming that he “shares the grave concern “of doctors and dentists across the UK. A similar scheme was suggested by the Labour government in 2008 and subsequently abandoned as a result of ethical and moral implications.
The agency recently asked for volunteers to trial the X-ray process in order to determine whether it is an effective means of confirming a person’s age.
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