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Should Pediatricians Disclose Sensitive Information About Minors’ Health To Their Parents?

By: Adam Hunter, MD student at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

In the American medical system, full moral status is assigned to competent adults. Beauchamp and Childress’s ethical principles of beneficence, non-maleficence, justice, and respect for autonomy define how competent patients should be treated (1). A case illustration helps to demonstrate the principles at conflict in disclosing sensitive information of minors. Continue reading “Should Pediatricians Disclose Sensitive Information About Minors’ Health To Their Parents?”

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H.R. 1313 Undermines Health Privacy Protections

By: Hailey Cleek, JD/MA Bioethics Student at Wake Forest University

Sponsored by Rep. Virginia Foxx [R-NC-5], H.R. 1313, titled “Preserving Employee Wellness Programs Act”, allows employers to offer health insurance premium rebates to workers who take part in company wellness programs that may include submitting to “health risk assessments” through genetic testing. While H.R. 1313 does not require employees to enroll in such programs, it has received strong criticism by organizations such as the American Society of Human Genetics, American Academy of Pediatrics, AARP, and National Council on Disability due to its potential penalties for refusing genetic testing.

Continue reading “H.R. 1313 Undermines Health Privacy Protections”