When to tell the parents

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Clinical Insight

When to tell the parents

Sanya Ram
Teenager in pharmacy
Consent and privacy of information for under-16-year-olds can pose difficult questions for pharmacy staff

If an under-16-year-old wants her dispensed medications kept secret, is the pharmacist still obliged to share details with her parent who pays the bill? Auckland pharmacy lecturer Sanya Ram looks at the legislation

Camelia is a 15-year-old who recently had a prescription for the emergency contraceptive pill dispensed at your pharmacy. Any charges in relation to C
References
  1. Privacy Commissioner. Health 101: An Introduction to the Health Information Privacy Code 1994. https://bit.ly/2mcxwYK
  2. Health and Disability Commissioner. The informed consent process and the application of the Code to children (online). www.hdc.org.nz
  3. Ministry of Health. Consent in child and youth health: Information for practitioners. Wellington: Ministry of Health; 1998. www.health.govt.nz
  4. Medical Council of New Zealand. Information, choice of treatment and informed consent. 2011. https://bit.ly/2lPNQOI
  5. Van Rooyen A, Water T, Rasmussen S, et al. What makes a child a ‘competent’ child? N Z Med J 2014;128(1426):88–95.
  6. Privacy Commissioner. Health Information Privacy Code 1994 (online). https://bit.ly/2kl3v8F