The right to be treated against her will.
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... My sister's inconsistent and intermittent treatment over the past eight years is largely a result of her own indecision and the inconsistencies of her abnormal mental state. The professionals who might have taken control of the situation as her health and functioning deteriorated have not done so and I must presume that they believe they cannot do so. I do not think her case is unique. There are many more people living in the community who are severely ill and are being deprived of treatment they need. (+info)
Covert video surveillance continues to provoke debate.
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When the editor invites comment on a response to an analysis of a criticism of a protocol already defended by the author in this journal, the issue is clearly contentious. I will comment briefly on Thomas's paper in this issue of the journal, and look at points of agreement as well as dissent. (+info)
AIDS and ethics: an analytic framework.
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The acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) pandemic has raised difficult ethical issues in public policy formulation and in the care of patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Many issues relate to measures proposed for the protection of the public from HIV infection. This article presents an analytic framework from which these measures can be rationally evaluated. Specific measures are assessed on the basis of their likelihood of success, in relation to their justification for infringement on individual rights, and with reference to other less intrusive measures that could accomplish the same objective. Case histories are discussed which raise ethical dilemmas in the care of HIV infected and high-risk patients. The application of this framework could assist physicians in analysing public health policy and making judgements in individual clinical situations. (+info)
The history of confidentiality in medicine: the physician-patient relationship.
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The author of this article reviews the history of the confidentiality of medical information relating to patients from its roots in the Hippocratic Oath to the current codes of medical ethics. There has been an important shift in the basis for the demand for confidentiality, from a physician-based commitment to a professional ideal that will improve the physician-patient relationship and thus the physician's therapeutic effectiveness, and replace it with a patientbased right arising from individual autonomy instead of a Hippocratic paternalistic privilege. (+info)
The employment physical examination: what is the doctor's obligation of confidentiality?
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Doctors are in both a privileged and precarious position concerning the law. Because the conduct of their daily work requires them to perform many acts which would not be permitted to anyone else, they may find themselves in legally compromising situations through simply doing their job. This new series, contributed by the staff of the Canadian Medical Protective Association, will address exactly those situations. We welcome readers' comments and queries. (+info)
Health care directives for the elderly.
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The treatment of incompetent older people presents physicians and family members with complex medical, ethical, moral, and legal problems. This article explores the use of advance health care directives in the decision-making process, the qualities of the "ideal" directive, practical and legal issues relating to directives, and the role of the family physician in their implementation. (+info)