Cojocaru v. British Columbia Women’s Hospital and Health Centre
Country: CanadaYear: 2013
Court: Supreme Court
Citation: 2013 SCC 30
Health Topics: Child and adolescent health, Chronic and noncommunicable diseases, Disabilities, Hospitals, Informed consent, Medical malpractice, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Right of access to information
The plaintiff, who had previously given birth via caesarean section, was due to give birth a second time. Her obstetrician recommended a vaginal birth. During labor, Cojocaru’s uterus ruptured, which restricted oxygen supply to the baby. The scar from the previous caesarean contributed to the rupture, and an emergency caesarean section was performed. The baby …Read more
Mehmet Senturk and Bekir Senturk v. Turkey
Country: TurkeyYear: 2013
Court: The European Court of Human Rights
Citation: Application No. 13423/09
Health Topics: Child and adolescent health, Health care and health services, Health systems and financing, Hospitals, Medical malpractice, Medicines, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Right to bodily integrity, Right to health, Right to life
The first applicant took his pregnant wife to the Izmir Pubic Hospital. A midwife examined his wife and the duty gynecologist was not called. As the applicant’s wife was experiencing continuous pain, he took her to another hospital- Atatruk Research and Teaching Hospital. An Assistant Doctor examined her and thereafter referred her to the Urology …Read more
Reeves v. The Queen
Country: AustraliaYear: 2013
Court: High Court
Health Topics: Chronic and noncommunicable diseases, Health care and health services, Informed consent, Medical malpractice, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Right to bodily integrity
Appellant doctor Reeves, a gynecologist, saw CDW, his patient, for treatment of a pre-cancerous lesion on her left labia minora. Reeves performed a “simple vulvectomy” which entailed the removal of CDW’s entire vulva, including her labia and clitoris. CDW filed suit, and provided evidence that she had only agreed to removal of a small flap …Read more
Salakhov and Islyamova v. Ukraine
Country: UkraineYear: 2013
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: Application No. 28005/08
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Health information, HIV/AIDS, Hospitals, Medical malpractice, Prisons
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to life
The first applicant is Mr. Linar Irekovich Salakhov, who alleged that he had not received prompt and adequate medical care while in detention. Following his death, his mother Ms. Aliya Fazylovna Islyamova pursued the application on his behalf and joined her own complaints to the case. In 2005, Salakhov first tested positive for HIV, though …Read more
Thompson, et al. v. Ontario
Country: CanadaYear: 2013
Court: Ontario Superior Court of Justice
Citation: 2013 ONSC 5392
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Health systems and financing, Mental health, Public safety
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Right to life
The Court examined the constitutionality of Brian’s Law, which was passed in 2000 after a man named Brian Smith was fatally shot by an untreated schizophrenic. The law included expanded committal criteria and allowed for involuntary admission for individuals who had experienced “substantial mental deterioration,”even if they were not necessarily a danger to others. In …Read more
Dudley Lee v. Minister for Correctional Services
Country: South AfricaYear: 2012
Court: Constitutional Court
Citation: [2012] ZACC 30
Health Topics: Diet and nutrition, Health care and health services, Infectious diseases, Prisons
Human Rights: Right to bodily integrity, Right to liberty and security of person, Right to life
While incarcerated in congested prison with poor hygienic conditions, Dudley Lee was infected with tuberculosis (TB). The responsible prison authorities were aware of the risk of the inmates’ contracting TB, but did not have a comprehensive system in place to reduce the risk of infection. Rather, the prison authorities relied on a system of inmates …Read more
Gerasimov v. Kazakhstan
Country: KazakhstanYear: 2012
Court: Committee Against Torture
Citation: Communication No. 433/2010; CAT/C/48/D/433/2010
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Mental health, Violence
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to due process/fair trial
In March 2007, the complainant went to the local police station, the Kostanai City Southern Department of Internal Affairs, where his stepson was being detained. Upon arrival, he was detained by five police officers and questioned about the death of an elderly neighbor. After stating he did not murder the women he was beaten by …Read more
Laidlow v The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration
Country: CanadaYear: 2012
Court: Federal Court
Citation: (2012) FC 144
Health Topics: Disabilities, Health care and health services, Health systems and financing, Hospitals, Medicines
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Freedom of movement and residence, Right to health, Right to life
The applicant was a citizen of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines who entered Canada on a visitor visa, and remained in Canada illegally after his visa had expired. During this time, he was hospitalized after losing his eyesight and memory. He was diagnosed with a benign tumor affecting his brain and pituitary gland. The tumor …Read more
M.S. v. The United Kingdom
Country: United KingdomYear: 2012
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: Application no. 24527/08
Health Topics: Health systems and financing, Hospitals, Mental health
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
After sounding a car horn repeatedly and behaving in a highly agitated manner, the applicant was arrested by police in Birmingham, United Kingdom. It was determined that before his arrest, the man had inflicted serious injury upon his aunt at his residence. He was detained under section 136 of the Mental Health Act, which allows …Read more
Stanev v. Bulgaria
Country: BulgariaYear: 2012
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: Application no. 36760/06
Health Topics: Diet and nutrition, Health care and health services, Health systems and financing, Medicines, Mental health, Poverty
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to due process/fair trial, Right to liberty and security of person
S, an adult male diagnosed with schizophrenia, lived for many years with his half-sister and step-mother, his closest living relatives, before they applied in 2000 to the Ruse Regional Court to have S declared legally incapacitated. The court declared S only partially incapacitated. S’s family refused to accept guardianship for S, and the court instead …Read more