Topic

Author/Academic

Viewpoint

Source

Confidentiality

R Gillon

Gillon argues that confidentiality is essential in order to provide good quality medical care. He offers several justifications and argues that this is not only beneficial to the doctor/patient relationship but also has wider educational benefits and control of the spread of disease.

In Kuhse H and Singer P (eds), A companion to bioethics(Blackwell: Oxford,

1998) 425-431

Issues of consent and feedback in a genetic epidemiological study of

women with breast cancer

M P M Richards et al.

The authors carried out an empirical study and interviewed patients as to whether they had concerns about confidentiality in relation to a particular study on breast cancer. Women were asked how they would feel if information from their blood samples was disseminated not only for the purposes of the present study but also for other conditions, such as heart disease or mental illness. Most participants were content for this to be done.

Journal of Medical Ethics 2003; 29: 93-96

Obligations arising from genetic information, negligence and the

protection of familial interests

G T Laurie

Laurie considers the complex issues at the heart of confidentiality and genetic information in that it reveals information about entire families rather than single individuals and considers this from tort law and public policy perspectives.

CFLQ 1999; 11: 109

Do summary care records have the potential to do more harm than

good?

R Anderson

The author argues that summary care records, including electronic patient records, could make sensitive personal information (for example, mental health records) available to hundreds of thousands of people outside the NHS and involve local authorities, political organisations and research laboratories. In the author's view, the wider implications of such information sharing could infringe human rights.

BMJ 2010; 340: 3020

Medical confidentiality and communication with the patient's family:

legal and practical perspectives

R Gilbar

The author examines patients' right to confidentiality and privacy issues

that arise when communicating with family members. The legal duty of

confidentiality in the context of the GMC professional guidance is considered. The author presents a study into the involvement of family members into medical decision-making and identifies the main challenges faced by doctors.

CFLQ 2012; 24(2): 199-222