Journal is right to require patients' consent to publication

BMJ 1996;313:1007 (19 October)

Letters

Journal is right to require patients' consent to publication

EDITOR,--In his commentary on Keith Andrews and colleagues'paper on misdiagnosis of the vegetative state Richard Smithdiscusses the BMJ's decision to obtain consent from all patientsdescribed in case reports.¹ I endorse this decision. In 1972the Lancet published details of two patients with the rare conditionmyositis ossificans progressiva.² One of the patients happenedto be a family friend, and I could easily identify her in thearticle, thereby obtaining personal information of which I waspreviously unaware.

I am sure that there was nothing in this case that my friendwould not have wished me to know. Nevertheless, there is clearlya risk of a serious breach of confidentiality if consent isnot obtained, even when obvious identifying information hasbeen removed.

ROGER LLOYD-MOSTYN Consultant physician

King's Mill Centre, Sutton in Ashfield NG17 4JL

Roger Lloyd-Mostyn

Andrews K, Murphy L, Munday R, Littlewood C. Misdiagnosis of the vegetative state: retrospective study in a rehabilitation unit. BMJ 1996;313:13-6. (6 July.) [With commentary by R Smith.] [Abstract/Free Full Text]
Russell RGG, Smith R, Bishop MC, Price DA, Squire CM. Treatment of myositis ossificans progressiva with a diphosphonate. Lancet 1972;i:10-2.

CiteULike

Complore

Connotea

Del.icio.us Add to Digg

Digg

Technorati What's this?

Relevant Article

Misdiagnosis of the vegetative state: retrospective study in a rehabilitation unit: Keith Andrews, Lesley Murphy, Ros Munday, and Clare Littlewood
BMJ 1996 313: 13-16. [Abstract] [Full Text]