Confidentiality challenges surrounding plasma therapy during the COVID-19 pandemic: a case discussion in Iran
Maintaining confidentiality, both in national and international codes of ethics, is considered an important principle in healthcare and the medical profession for both patients and physicians. This case-report article focused on a real case. Based on the request of the Iranian Blood Transfusion Orga...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Tehran University of Medical Sciences
2020-12-01
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| Series: | Journal of Medical Ethics and History of Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://jmehm.tums.ac.ir/index.php/jmehm/article/view/887 |
| _version_ | 1818946553997426688 |
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| author | Saeedeh Saeedi Tehrani Akram Hashemi Mansureh Madani Mina Forouzandeh |
| author_facet | Saeedeh Saeedi Tehrani Akram Hashemi Mansureh Madani Mina Forouzandeh |
| author_sort | Saeedeh Saeedi Tehrani |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Maintaining confidentiality, both in national and international codes of ethics, is considered an important principle in healthcare and the medical profession for both patients and physicians. This case-report article focused on a real case. Based on the request of the Iranian Blood Transfusion Organization (IBTO) for plasma donation from recovered COVID-19 patients, we asked the names and personal information of those patients from hospitals affiliated with Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS) and arranged for the subjects to be referred to the Medical Ethics Department of IUMS for consultation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Various ethical and legal aspects of this case were discussed in a special meeting, and practical solutions were then provided considering the limits of confidentiality and conditions for ethical access to patients’ information during a pandemic.
Since plasma therapy is not a definitive cure for COVID-19 and considering the ethical and legal points presented in this article, it is not recommended to announce the names of patients in the early stages. Given the potential impacts of the procedure and the possibility of patients being cured, however, their consent should be obtained in different situations and, if necessary, providing information to patients or educating them should be considered. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T08:16:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-415f45195e7745dfa06bac6b54d4fb72 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2008-0387 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T08:16:51Z |
| publishDate | 2020-12-01 |
| publisher | Tehran University of Medical Sciences |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Medical Ethics and History of Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-415f45195e7745dfa06bac6b54d4fb722022-12-21T19:47:07ZengTehran University of Medical SciencesJournal of Medical Ethics and History of Medicine2008-03872020-12-011310.18502/jmehm.v13i27.5044Confidentiality challenges surrounding plasma therapy during the COVID-19 pandemic: a case discussion in IranSaeedeh Saeedi Tehrani0Akram Hashemi1Mansureh Madani2Mina Forouzandeh3Assistant Professor, Department of Medical Ethics, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.Assistant Professor, Department of Medical Ethics, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.Researcher, PhD in Medical Ethics.Assistant Professor, Department of Medical Ethics, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.Maintaining confidentiality, both in national and international codes of ethics, is considered an important principle in healthcare and the medical profession for both patients and physicians. This case-report article focused on a real case. Based on the request of the Iranian Blood Transfusion Organization (IBTO) for plasma donation from recovered COVID-19 patients, we asked the names and personal information of those patients from hospitals affiliated with Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS) and arranged for the subjects to be referred to the Medical Ethics Department of IUMS for consultation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Various ethical and legal aspects of this case were discussed in a special meeting, and practical solutions were then provided considering the limits of confidentiality and conditions for ethical access to patients’ information during a pandemic. Since plasma therapy is not a definitive cure for COVID-19 and considering the ethical and legal points presented in this article, it is not recommended to announce the names of patients in the early stages. Given the potential impacts of the procedure and the possibility of patients being cured, however, their consent should be obtained in different situations and, if necessary, providing information to patients or educating them should be considered.https://jmehm.tums.ac.ir/index.php/jmehm/article/view/887Confidentiality; Confidentiality breach; COVID- 19; Plasma therapy. |
| spellingShingle | Saeedeh Saeedi Tehrani Akram Hashemi Mansureh Madani Mina Forouzandeh Confidentiality challenges surrounding plasma therapy during the COVID-19 pandemic: a case discussion in Iran Journal of Medical Ethics and History of Medicine Confidentiality; Confidentiality breach; COVID- 19; Plasma therapy. |
| title | Confidentiality challenges surrounding plasma therapy during the COVID-19 pandemic: a case discussion in Iran |
| title_full | Confidentiality challenges surrounding plasma therapy during the COVID-19 pandemic: a case discussion in Iran |
| title_fullStr | Confidentiality challenges surrounding plasma therapy during the COVID-19 pandemic: a case discussion in Iran |
| title_full_unstemmed | Confidentiality challenges surrounding plasma therapy during the COVID-19 pandemic: a case discussion in Iran |
| title_short | Confidentiality challenges surrounding plasma therapy during the COVID-19 pandemic: a case discussion in Iran |
| title_sort | confidentiality challenges surrounding plasma therapy during the covid 19 pandemic a case discussion in iran |
| topic | Confidentiality; Confidentiality breach; COVID- 19; Plasma therapy. |
| url | https://jmehm.tums.ac.ir/index.php/jmehm/article/view/887 |
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