Medical Liability in Qatar

Qatar’s healthcare system is developing substantially. World-class facilities are opening at a rapid pace in a country which boasts a comprehensive public health system, alongside a robust offering of private facilities. Clinicians are drawn, from around the world, to work within this system. For lawmakers, the challenge of creating medical liability regulations is stark. Qatar must develop bespoke regulations which balance religious and cultural expectations while harmonising best practices applied by established medical systems abroad. To unpack these issues, this chapter undertakes a three-part evaluation. First, legislation and case law are examined to determine the principles underlying criminal and civil law which underpin medical liability provisions. There is a focus on infectious disease control, organ transplantation, mental health and abortion. Second, the opportunities for alternative means of dispute resolution are analysed and their limitations considered. Third, there is an analysis of how this diverse system encourages an inclusive method of law creation. Despite that emphasis, challenges of harmonisation persist, and questions about the impact of criminal law on medical practice remain undetermined, requiring further research.