Reference no: EM133253804

1. Dorothy, aged 7, was diagnosed with bone cancer and admitted to the Children's Oncology ward of a major hospital, where she is now receiving treatment. Her malignancy was caught early, so her prospects of long-term survival seem good. Even so, her parents are beside themselves with worry. They have not told Dorothy exactly what her disease is. They want to avoid frightening her unnecessarily. But one of the nurses raises a question: "What if Dorothy asks, 'Could I die from this disease?' What should we tell her? After all, children understand quite a lot, and the children on the oncology ward talk among themselves." This case raises several moral problems. To prevent harm to Dorothy, her parents intend to keep her in the dark about her illness. Do you think that nondisclosure is likely to be in her interest over the long term? Does Dorothy have a right to medical disclosure? Should age matter for this? If the nurse were to tell Dorothy the truth without parental consent, would that be justified? (Based on Brody and Engelhardt, 1987: 349.)

2. A pilot for a major commercial airline is one of primary-care physician Dr. Burns' patients. The pilot is struggling with alcoholism, a condition that has grown worse over the years. Now he is beginning to have episodes of agitation, disorientation, and black-outs. Because of the medical confidentiality rule, Dr. Burns consults with the hospital's ethics committee about whether to inform the pilot's employer. First, use utilitarian reasons to argue for and against honoring medical confidentiality in this case, and then decide which ones, if any, should prevail. If you were a member of the ethics committee, what guidance would you provide? (This narrative is based on an actual case.)