Consent to publication-no absolutes

摘要

Privacy and confidentiality are central and longstanding tenets of the relationship between patient and doctor. It follows then that specific informed consent should be obtained before any patient information is divulged, including publication in medical journals. Most journals thus have a policy of requiring written informed consent from the patient, or in the case of a child, from the parents or legal guardians.However, just as "in clinical practice confidentiality is not an absolute principle but admits of exceptions ... confidentiality is not absolute in editorial practice either."1