Confidentiality and death.
The duty of confidentiality in the normal doctor-patient relationship is well recognized. However, the duty of confidentiality between the pathologist who performs the autopsy and the requesting authorities and the next-of-kin is not as clearly spelt out. This article discusses the problems faced by the pathologist with regards to hospital and medico-legal autopsies in Malaysia. A proposed ethical guideline is included on how to deal with peculiar issues regarding confidentiality and the pathologist.
Ong
B B
BB
Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Kaur
S
S
D001344:Autopsy; D002423:Cause of Death; D003219:Confidentiality; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D006801:Humans; D008296:Malaysia; D010338:Pathology, Clinical; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic