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Article: Alzheimer's disease: to tell or not to tell.(Editorial)
- Article from:
- Southern Medical Journal
- Article date:
- January 1, 2004
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 Southern Medical Association. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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A sentence stood out in the letter: "I will not allow you to examine me unless you promise not to, under any circumstance, disclose my diagnosis without my prior consent." The author of the letter wanted to find out whether our Clinic could help her. The letter was succinct: only four lines. After debating the issue and consulting our Ethics Committee, the emerging consensus was that as long as the patient does not present a threat to herself or to society, we should abide by her wish--under the principle of patient autonomy--and should not disclose the diagnosis without her consent.
Mrs. Stapelton looked older than her stated age of 52 years. She was standing as ...