Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Community versus individual benefit.

Bernadette M Tobin1, Stephen R Leeder, Ernest R Somerville

  • 1Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney, NSW. b.tobin@plunkett.acu.edu.au

The Medical Journal of Australia
|May 10, 2002
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Revisiting the IJE's Cohort Profile series-how have the cohorts fared?

International journal of epidemiology·2022
Same author

A survey of the use and impact of International Journal of Epidemiology's Education Corner.

International journal of epidemiology·2022
Same author

Levetiracetam-Induced Seizure Aggravation in Patients With Focal Cortical Dysplasia.

Clinical neuropharmacology·2019
Same author

A decision tree to determine fitness to drive in epilepsy: Results of a pilot in two Australian states.

Epilepsia·2019
Same author

Cohort profile: The Childhood Asthma Prevention Study (CAPS).

International journal of epidemiology·2018
Same author

Childhood fish oil supplementation modifies associations between traffic related air pollution and allergic sensitisation.

Environmental health : a global access science source·2018
Same journal

Still Treating Yesterday's Risk? Reconsidering Antiviral Use for Mild-to-Moderate COVID-19 Cases in a Broadly Immune Population.

The Medical journal of Australia·2026
Same journal

Striving for Racial Equity in Oral Cancer Research: A Case Study.

The Medical journal of Australia·2026
Same journal

Progressing Cross-Sector Collaboration for People With Eating Disorders and Higher Weight: Priority Actions From an Expert Roundtable Using a Modified Nominal Group Technique.

The Medical journal of Australia·2026
Same journal

Self-Poisoning With Prazosin and Its Off-Label Use in Australia, 2014-2024: Analysis of NSW Poisons Information Centre Data.

The Medical journal of Australia·2026
Same journal

Drivers of Vaccine Uptake for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children to Inform Tailored Strategies: A Qualitative Study Exploring Health Service Provider Perspective.

The Medical journal of Australia·2026
Same journal

Four Urgent Actions for the Rights to Culturally Safe Breastfeeding for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mothers and Babies to Breastfeed in Neonatal Intensive Care Environments.

The Medical journal of Australia·2026
See all related articles

Doctors must balance patient confidentiality with public safety. Australian law requires reporting medical conditions that impair driving ability to authorities if patients cannot be persuaded to self-report.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Law
  • Public Health Policy
  • Doctor-Patient Confidentiality

Background:

  • Australian law views doctor's duties through a communitarian lens, balancing patient confidentiality with community safety and patient wellbeing.
  • Legal frameworks increasingly mandate driver self-reporting of medical conditions affecting driving safety.

Observation:

  • Some Australian jurisdictions legally obligate doctors to notify driver-licensing authorities about patients whose medical conditions may compromise public safety.
  • The doctor-patient relationship in Australia emphasizes shared responsibilities towards individual care and community welfare.

Findings:

  • Doctors have a legal and ethical duty to prioritize public safety when a patient's medical condition poses a driving risk.
  • If a patient refuses to report a condition impacting safe driving, doctors are required to inform the relevant authorities.

Related Experiment Videos

Implications:

  • This legal framework necessitates careful consideration of reporting obligations in medical practice.
  • Upholding public safety may, in specific circumstances, override strict patient confidentiality regarding driving fitness.