Abstract

ARTETXE, Alejandro. Confidentiality in Psychiatry from a Bioethical Standpoint. rev.colomb.psiquiatr. [online]. 2007, vol.36, n.1, pp.111-122. ISSN 0034-7450.

Introduction: This paper tackles the issue of confidentiality in psychiatry from the standpoint of bioethics and respect for human dignity. Development: In order to treat the people we assist the way they deserve, we should protect what they entrust us with: Their personal data. With this in mind, we should progress from professional secrecy, always necessary, towards the right to personal data protection. This is a parallel path to the development of bioethics and its defense of the autonomy principle, reflected in Spanish and European legislations. South America has not been indifferent to this movement as confirmed by the work of the Red Iberoamericana de Protección de Datos. Colombia should join these initiatives endorsing a statutory law to govern Colombians fundamental right to data protection. Conclusion: Personal data, specially psychiatric data, should be protected.

Keywords : confidentialy; bioethics; patient rights.

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