Medicine Ethics Essay
Medicine and privacy are often closely entwined whilst ethics are at the forefront. A
trip to the doctor often entails disclosure of sensitive information. Luckily for us, there is
something in place under the name of “Doctor- patient confidentiality”. This is an agreement
between doctor and patient that any information exchanged is protected from being released. As
David Carmen and Nicky Britten put it, “[c]onfidentiality in medicine serves two purposes. The
first is to respect patients' privacy, so that they feel no shame or vulnerability. The second is to
create an environment for honest communication between doctor and patient” (Carmen and
Britten). While decisions may often become troubled by the issue of ethics, doctors in most
situations should suppress the information they receive under the privacy agreement, regardless
of the implications.
The “Doctor- patient confidentiality” can have many more implications and effects on a
person depending on the circumstances. Often times, trips to the doctor result in grave news
being told and the people who hold knowledge of this news all have an implication on the matter.
For hereditary diseases, the doctor would be able to warn the children of this issue with the
knowledge, but only with parental consent. The main issue with this is that often it may
completely break down the child and prevent them from believing they can reach their
aspirations. Knowledge of health can also affect one’s ability to obtain health insurance. If, by
chance, an insurance company becomes informed about a potential disease of someone in the
family who hasn’t been diagnosed, the company may be less inclined to help that person as it
allows the company to obtain more profit. Insurance companies often use this information in
shady ways, allowing them to get away with unethical choices.
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The main reason that we live is to be happy. A patient being told they have a terminal disease
is redundant because they will die anyways. It is best to let them live the rest of their life without
knowledge of their condition in order to maintain a happy household. The family will be caught
off guard when death occurs of course, but this happens with any unexpected fatality. At the end
of most arguments such as the ethics essay, family is all that matters. Protecting their emotions
and wellbeing is of greater importance than when the patient is going to die.
Speed is everything. The quicker a doctor discloses a patient’s disease to them and the family,
the quicker the mental breakdown. If telling them at all it is best to do it slowly. Easing treatment
with care and nonchalance will reduce pain from their wellbeing and actual nervous system. The
problem with medicine currently is that patients are told for example they have terminal lung
cancer immediately after the doctor finds out.
Put yourself in the shoes of the patient. You have life aspirations and family to care for. You
strive every day to reach closer to your goals in hopes of achieving what you dreamt of as a
child. How awful it would be if your leaps toward nirvana are cut short by the words of a
doctor's mouth or the letters on cardstock pieces of paper. People have the right to decide what
they want to do with the information pertinent to their life. The medical industry was built to
help people, but it holds an overabundance of important information on a plethora of people,
which unfortunately can lead to some severe corruption. Trust between doctors and patients is
key, but sensitive information can often alter the nature of these relationships.
Work Cited
Carmen, D., and N. Britten. "Confidentiality of Medical Records: The Patient's Perspective."
Confidentiality of Medical Records: The Patient's Perspective. (1995): 485-88. Web.
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