8-Minute Watch
18 November 2025
VIFM on The Pathology Report | Dr Hans de Boer talks Evidence in Pathology.
This video is the edited highlights of an episode of The Pathology Report podcast featuring a panel of Forensic Pathologists, including the VIFM’s Dr Hans de Boer, one of our expert Forensic Pathologists.
Hans talks to his experience from working at the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, with relevance to Victoria, and giving evidence in our court system. This is an essential contribution that Forensic Pathologists make – but often less visible: providing expert medical evidence in court. Forensic pathologists do not represent one side or another. Their responsibility is to the medical evidence, and the medical evidence only. But as you’ll see from the video, it can be much more complex than that, and you see a real human side to what expert pathologists must prepare for. It’s truly fascinating.
“Our role in court is to offer clear, unbiased medical findings. We explain what the science shows – and just as importantly, what it does not show. That might mean, within our adversarial legal system, that we have to find twenty different ways of saying “I do not know” when asked leading questions that go beyond the scientific evidence and our roles as expert witnesses.”
Dr Hans de Boer, Forensic Pathologist, VIFM.
You can watch the full podcast on the VIFM’s YouTube Channel – click here.
Film Credit: The Pathology Report podcast, created by the RCPA, explores the latest insights, innovations and challenges in pathology. The VIFM does not own the copyright to this video and is sharing it for the benefit of the health and wellbeing of the Victorian community.