Breach of Confidentiality in Sexually Transmitted Diseases from the Perspective of Consequential and Deontological Philosophical Schools

Confidentiality is recognized as a fundamental principle in medical ethics. The present study aimed to evaluate the breach of confidentiality in sexually transmitted diseases from the perspective of consequential and deontological philosophic al schools so as to reveal the "moral good" in the interested area.
In the present review study, using such keywords as sexually transmitted diseases, confidentiality, and partner notification - which account for a broad spectrum of medical ethics studies - in PubMed, SID, and Google Scholar databases, the relevant literature were searched and analyzed.
Ethical considerations: Ethical principles were observed in searching and citing the literature.
Both these schools have however been subject to new perspectives in such a way that we do not seem to observe an absolute confidentiality even in the deontological school anymore. On the other hand, consequential perspectives also do emphasize on observance of the ethical princi ples, in addition to considering the benefits. It is therefore recommended that in the first step, the doctors lead the patients to tell their partners by telling the truth to the patient. If the patients are not able to tell the issues to their partners, the doctors can help them with the necessary guidance and training. In case some patients are still unable to do it, the doctors, taking the patients’ permission, can do it on their behalf. Given that searching for and identifying the sexual partners is not considered as a medical responsibility, if the sexual partners consult a doctor, s/he can share the patients’ secrets with their sexual partners according to the preceding paragraphs. When a patient is not eligible, or when it is of necessity, the doctor ought to notify the patient’s hierarch or parents. Otherwise, what is to the best benefit of the patient should be considered.
To encapsulate the perspectives on the normative ethics, it is appropriate to avoid absolute thinking and by aggreg ating the perspectives, while respecting the principle of confidentiality, we should take the best benefits of the community board, and on top of whom the patient’s sexual partner, into account based on what common sense discerns as axiomatic.