No-fault, no difference: no-fault compensation for medical injury and healthcare ethics and practice

Overuse of medicines and medical interventions, patient safety, and rising costs are among the greatest challenges facing modern health care. Because medical malpractice systems are thought to be a driving factor, it is logical to consider alternative medical regulatory structures.1 New Zealand’s experience with no-fault compensation for medical injury and separate medical professional accountability processes may provide insights. Now that the no-fault system has been fully in place for a decade, it is timely to reflect critically on potential lessons for health systems around the world