Children''s confidentiality rights in healthcare: a child-oriented international legal perspective. Issue 5 (October 2008)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Piññero, Veróónica B
• Is Part Of: Pediatric health. Volume 2:Issue 5(2008)
• Page Start: 557
• Page End: 561
• Publication Date: 2008-10
• Subjects: confidentiality -- healthcare -- international law -- mature minors; Pediatrics -- Periodicals; 618.920005
• DOI: 10.2217/17455111.2.5.557
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1745-5111

Abstract

The complex notion of patients'' confidentiality is recognized as a core principle that healthcare practitioners are required to observe. However, mature minor patients do not always enjoy such a right. Although it is often necessary to weight the costs and benefits of maintaining confidentiality for each unique circumstance, blanket benevolent arguments should not be routinely used to deny confidentiality to mature minors. Scientific research has demonstrated the negative consequences of such an approach. Having explored the universal human rights system, this article argues that the observance of confidentiality rights in healthcare is an international legal requirement to observe and implement when dealing with mature minors.