Please take note of the content of this message. 

Given that your previous public statements called upon midwives not to
support this practitioner because of serious questions about the quality
of her professional practice,

I do not believe that I ever questioned the quality of this practitioner's practice.  I questioned whether she was indeed qualified as a midwife according to the EC directives.  I did not have that information and could not verify it.  It now seems that she is indeed qualified as a midwife but not allowed to register.  This is one of the points I raised in later messages to various people.

I wrote on list with the information I had available at the time - that was honest, even though some people did not like it. 

Further information has now come to light and a much more detailed information has come from the Hungarian midwives association.  With more information, people review their point of view and that is how it should be.  I believe that on the basis of the information I had at the time, my point of view was then valid.  Further information has come to light which reinforces the serious concerns about the position that Hungarian midwives find themselves in. 

Given the wording of the EU Directives, there are many serious issues that can be identified and could addressed for midwives in Hungary.

I don't speak for EMA.  I have worked with EMA for many years and understand the European Directives relatively well.  It is with that background information that I wrote. 

I have found the exchanges pretty unpleasant as they seem to have suggested that I was either dishonest or ignorant or both.  Of course, I may well be.  It is just not that nice to be told...

I hope you will send the Midwifery-research list a message to retract the
information on which you based your discouragement for support of Agnes
Gereb.

I cannot retract information I did not have at the time I suggested not supporting this cause.  The information has evolved quite a bit and I would now support the cause and encourage others to do the same.  I would however also highlight the fact that the legal process via the European Commission would be the most useful in the long term.  This would have to come from midwives and perhaps obstetricians too from inside Hungary.  Contacts with EMA, ICM and EBCOG by Hungarian midwives and obstetricians to support the impementation of the EU Directive may also be useful, but this must come from inside Hungary.  Human rights are a different issues.

I shall not write again on this topic because the experience has been pretty unpleasant.  I understand now much better that if you want to raise your voice against the majority, you need to think quite carefully about the personal consequences and accusations that you would be subjected to.  To be accused of dishonesty or stupidity when you are neither dishonest nor completely stupid is extremely unpleasant.

Marianne