Book excerpt: The purpose of this book is to set out the fundamental principles governing the law of medical malpractice in clear and understandable terms, so that those principles can be applied in daily practice. The intersection of the fields of medicine and the law produces formidable challenges. For the lawyer, the applicable legal principles and issues are as intellectually and professionally demanding as encountered in any field of the law. For the medical practitioner, there is at present an obstructive uncertainty and anxiety about the legal rules which apply, and the health professions accordingly feel under siege. Added to this is the formative role that government and civil society plays in considering and assimilating into our legal system profound policy considerations affecting our most intimate interests. This book addresses these issue clearly and comprehensively.