Dr Shoo Lee

Who Dr Shoo Lee is

Dr Shoo Lee is a retired Canadian neonatologist and health economist, currently Professor Emeritus at the University of Toronto and Honorary Physician at Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto. He is President of the Canadian Neonatal Foundation and founded the Canadian Neonatal Network in 1995, a research collaboration spanning 30 hospitals and 17 universities across Canada. He received his medical degree from the University of Singapore, completed neonatal fellowship training at Boston Children's Hospital, and holds a PhD in Health Policy (Economics) from Harvard University. He is an Officer of the Order of Canada, appointed in recognition of his contributions to neonatal medicine. He gained prominent UK press coverage in February 2025 when he chaired an international panel of 14 neonatologists that held a London press conference challenging the medical evidence underpinning the murder convictions of nurse Lucy Letby, arguing that deaths and injuries were attributable to natural causes or suboptimal medical care. His 1989 academic paper on neonatal air embolism had previously been relied upon by the prosecution at Letby's trial, and he has stated publicly that his research was misinterpreted at that trial.

References for this biography

1. 1.Shoo K. Lee – Harthouse profile — Current roles (Professor Emeritus, University of Toronto; Honorary Staff Pediatrician, Mount Sinai Hospital), career background, qualifications, and awards
2. 2.International Expert Panel Lucy Letby Case Summary Report, February 2025 — Current role as President of the Canadian Neonatal Foundation; full biography as panel chair including former roles at University of Toronto and Sunnybrook Hospital
3. 3.Neonatologist Dr. Shoo Lee named to the Order of Canada – Sinai Health — Appointment as Officer of the Order of Canada, December 2019
4. 4.The Canadian Neonatal Network — Founding of the Canadian Neonatal Network in 1995 and its current scale (30 hospitals, 17 universities)
5. 5.The Canadian doctor who thrust British nurse Lucy Letby's murder convictions back into the spotlight – Globe and Mail — Dr Lee's role chairing the February 2025 London press conference and his review of 35,000 pages of case evidence
6. 6.Dr. Shoo K. Lee – Alberta Family Wellness Initiative — Development and piloting of the Family Integrated Care (FICare) model; research focus on quality of care and patient outcomes
7. 7.Experts have challenged the medical case against Lucy Letby – The Conversation — Dr Lee's UK press quotes; his authorship of the 1989 air embolism paper relied on by the Letby prosecution

Notable achievements

• Founded the Canadian Neonatal Network in 1995, now comprising 30 hospitals and 17 universities across Canada. Source ↗
• Named an Officer of the Order of Canada in December 2019 for contributions to neonatal medicine. Source ↗
• Chaired the international 14-neonatologist expert panel that held a London press conference in February 2025 challenging medical evidence in the Lucy Letby case. Source ↗
• Developed and piloted the Family Integrated Care (FICare) model at Mount Sinai Hospital, integrating parents as active care partners in the NICU. Source ↗
• Received multiple major awards including the CIHR Knowledge Translation Award, the Distinguished Neonatologist Award from the Canadian Paediatric Society, and the Douglas K. Richardson Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society for Pediatric Research. Source ↗

What Dr Shoo Lee has said

• “The renowned Canadian neonatologist Dr Shoo Lee has consistently said his research was misinterpreted by prosecution medical expert witnesses. Lee assembled a panel of 14 leading experts to examine the medical evidence and they concluded last year there was no evidence of murders nor any other deliberate harm.”

  Canadian neonatologist · Hospital discharge / bed-blocking · 27 Aug 2026 · Cheshire constabulary rejects criticism by David Davis over Letby investigation ↗

• “They say the prosecution's medical evidence, including Hindmarsh's, was wrong, that the babies died from natural causes and poor care on the unit, and there was no evidence of any murders, insulin poisoning or any other deliberate harm.”

  Canadian neonatologist · NHS & care workforce/staffing · 27 Aug 2026 · Expert witness in Lucy Letby trial did not reveal hospital investigation into his medical work ↗

Where Dr Shoo Lee has been quoted

1. Lucy Letby case expert witness was under fitness-to-practise investigation during trialtheguardian.com · 27 Aug 2026
2. Cheshire constabulary rejects criticism by David Davis over Letby investigationtheguardian.com · 27 Aug 2026
3. Expert witness in Lucy Letby trial did not reveal hospital investigation into his medical worktheguardian.com · 27 Aug 2026

Related media coverage

Recent UK press coverage of their topics — not necessarily citing them directly.

• Patient complaints to NHS Ayrshire & Arran rise by 13 per cent in a yearThe Herald
• Readers share experiences as Wrexham Maelor A&E waits among longest in WalesLeader Live
• We are providing unsafe levels of care even before winter, says leading Scottish A&E doctorThe Scotsman

Contact & links

• Staff pagehttps://www.cnf-fnc.ca/about/shoo-lee
• Staff pagehttps://harthouse.ca/profile/shoo-k-lee

Organisational contact points only, each taken from a page the organisation publishes itself. No personal or direct contact details are held or shown.