PATHOLOGIST AS GATEKEEPER - DISCRETIONARY DECISION-MAKING IN CASES OFSUDDEN INFANT DEATH

In many cases of unexpected infant death the cause of death cannot be ascertained. It has become convention to call such cases 'SIDS' (Sudde n Infant Death Syndrome). A simulation study of pathologists' decision -making found that there were significant differences in the procedure adopted and the diagnosis of cause of death in such cases. It was fou nd that their decision-making was influenced by factors such as experi ence, training and most importantly, pathologists own perception of th eir professional role. In an emotive area such as infant death the app lication of the SIDS label is frequently part of the social process of defining disease.