Tara, a 15 year old girl approaches a health professional and seeks assurance from the health...

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Tara, a 15 year old girl approaches a health professional and seeks assurance from the health professional that her conversation will be kept confidential. The health professional assures her that unless there are compelling reasons ie. that the public will be at risk of harm, that the conversation would be confidential. Tara proceeds with her request for the ‘morning after’ pill as she is concerned that after having unprotected sex with her boyfriend that she may be pregnant. Tara is not taking regular oral contraceptives. She reveals that she has tried to discuss her sexual health with the family GP however, the GP was not supportive of her interest in being sexually active with her boyfriend. Tara shares that her parents (who access the same health service) are ‘very religious’ and ‘don’t believe in premarital sex’, hence her seeking reassurance about confidentiality. Tara further states that her parents would be ‘disgusted’ if they found out she was seeking the morning after pill and would disown her. Tara has researched social media and online materials and has determined that there are no negative short (apart from a potential headache) or long term health consequences for her if she takes the pill. She tells the health professional that ‘one of her friends has had the morning after pill and she was fine’, and she wants to have it too, just in case. QUESTION TWO (2): It is within the health professional’s scope of practice to supply the ‘morning after’ pill. What are the legal and ethical principles raised in this case? Are there multiple perspectives to consider? Give reasons for your answers.

Azra S · Accepted Answer

Legal and Ethical issues in case of sexual activity in underage patients
Tara’s case is full of debatable issues and thus requires a deliberated and bold decision-making. In a complicated case like this many dimensions need to be considered not just one. The privacy of patients is one important aspect. However, medico-legal issues, child abuse issues are also areas of prime concern that a medical practitioner needs to keep in mind when dealing with such a sensitive patient. 
First of all, Tara is 15 years old and would be considered a minor in almost all states in Australia (Lamont, 2009). In such cases, knowledge of parents becomes an important issue. Tara’s parents have no idea about her sexual activity. Prescribing pills without the parent’s knowledge can in itself be problematic. In case of any medical complication, even though rare, a medical practitioner can face legal charges.
Secondly,

Tara, a 15 year old girl approaches a health professional and seeks assurance from the health professional that her conversation will be kept confidential. The health professional assures her that...

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