is it right to know for the children that they have huntington's disease?

Question

even if the physician break the principle of confidentiality?

Answer 1

By the doctors code of ethics, they HAVE to reveal to the patient their medical condition -- unless the patient has explicitly said that he/she trusts the doc completely to do whatever the doc sees fit and absolutely, under no circumstances wants to know what they are afflicted with.
However, it also says the doc CANNOT reveal to the patient's children the disease if the patient does not want them to know -- unless they are at immediate risk.
Now, Huntington's disease, if the patient has it and doesnt want their kids knowing, the doc CANNOT break the confidentiality -- he is NOT supposed to tell the kids.
The kids on their OWN may undergo genetic testing to see if they are susceptible to getting it, but the doc doesnt have to tell them the parent has it, only the KIDS risk of getting it.
The doc can reveal to a patient's children that their parent has huntington's if and ONLY if the parent agrees to their child knowing.