Privacy and confidentiality in therapeutic process: contributions from bioethics

Abstract

Abstract This study discusses privacy and confidentiality in the areas of medicine and, particularly, mental health, arguing that the rights and duties encompassed by the two principles should be practiced in compliance to bioethics. Psychic knowledge was adopted to broaden our understanding regarding the importance of confidentiality in the therapeutic process. It emphasizes the connection between the technological and media changes of the last decades and the risk of compromising medical confidentiality, which would definitely affect the patient’s trust concerning information privacy. Finally, the text reflects on the relevancy of ethical support for health professionals, especially in cases where they must decide on whether or not to breach confidentiality.