title: Learning from the experience of others: ethical issues surrounding the use of clinical data for teaching and other professional activities.
abstract: Effective education in medicine and other health sciences commonly relies on the use of clinical cases. This enables learners to advance their understanding of complex clinical problems. It also allows experienced clinicians to impart their knowledge of unusual problems or innovative approaches. Can the use without consent of private patient information be justified? This article reviews the practitioner's obligations toward confidentiality, and examines the ethical issues involved with the non-clinical use of information about patients. Strategies for ensuring sound ethical standards are recommended.
authors.affiliation: McGill Biomedical Ethics Unit, Faculty of Medicine, 3647 Peel St., Montreal QC H3A 1X1, Canada. kathleen.glass@mcgill.ca
authors.forename: Kathleen Cranley
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Glass
authors.forename: Franco A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Carnevale
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research; D003219:Confidentiality / Q000941:ethics* / Q000592:standards*; D030881:Disclosure / Q000941:ethics / Q000592:standards; D004501:Education, Medical; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D016134:Organizational Policy; D019724:Presumed Consent; D018907:Privacy; D011634:Public Health; D011643:Publishing; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care