Passing on health info without consent ‘a crime’

He said a lot of information circulating in Thai social media now was being passed on without checking for accuracy, especially about another person’s health without consent. He warned that such an action could be a violation of Article 7 under the National Health Act, punishable with up to six months behind bars and/or up to Bt10,000 in fines.
Although no one has been punished so far for violation of that law, Ampol warned that sharing about another person’s health condition without consent was a violation of the person’s rights and human dignity. As an example, Ampol cited a post requesting blood donations that attached a patient’s picture, name, disease and the blood type needed. He said the post was later found to be three years old and the person had already fully recovered, and the hospital had cancelled the blood-donation request a long time ago.
“The violation of health-related rights, intentionally or otherwise, happens all the time, and everything moves so fast – as you say, ‘it goes viral’ – and thus is out of control. Many times we visit a sick person and take his or her picture to announce online that we have visited him or her. Maybe the person doesn’t want others to know that he or she is sick or see him or her in that condition, which is so different from when they are healthy,” he said.
He warned medical professionals to keep patients’ health information confidential. They must be careful when using online media. He said organisations like Mahidol University and the NHC had issued guidelines for online media usage among personnel.
He said the NHC also was drafting general guidelines for health professionals, after which it would be proposed for health professional bodies’ implementation as appropriate.
Ampol’s comments were made at a seminar on Monday as part of the eighth National Health Assembly held at Impact Muang Thong Thani.