JH v. Alberta (Minister of Justice and Solicitor General)
Country: CanadaYear: 2020
Court: Court of Appeal of Alberta
Citation: 2020 ABCA 317
Health Topics: Health information, Informed consent, Mental health
Human Rights: Freedom of movement and residence, Right of access to information, Right to due process/fair trial, Right to liberty and security of person
The respondent JH, a member of a First Nation in British Columbia, was admitted to the Foothills Medical Centre, run by the respondent, Alberta Health Services, on September 5, 2014 for the treatment of sepsis in his knee. Following surgery and a 20-day hospital stay, JH sought discharge. Instead, JH was admitted as a formal …Read more
Mockute v. Lithuania
Country: LithuaniaYear: 2018
Court: The European Court of Human Rights
Citation: Application No. 66490/09
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Health information, Hospitals, Mental health, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Freedom of religion, Right to privacy
The applicant suffered from an acute paranoid reaction disorder. She was taken to the Kaunas Psychiatric Hospital by her parents and at their request in 1992; she continued her treatment at another psychiatric hospital. The applicant had joined a religious sect before her first treatment, and her parents stated that she had become disoriented after …Read more
Nelson v. Livermore
Country: CanadaYear: 2017
Court: Ontario Court of Appeal
Citation: 2017 ONCA 712
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Informed consent, Mental health, Prisons, Public safety, Violence
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to liberty and security of person
Rodney Nelson sought judicial review of his involuntary admission to a psychiatric hospital under Ontario’s Mental Health Act (“MHA”) and an order for his immediate release due to rights infringements. Nelson had a lengthy history of crimes with many violent offences, including sexual offences against women and children. A psychiatrist completed an application for psychiatric …Read more
Thompson v Ontario (Attorney General)
Country: CanadaYear: 2016
Court: Ontario Court of Appeal
Citation: 2016 ONCA 676
The applicants appealed a decision affirming the constitutionality of Brian’s Law (Mental Health Legislative Reform), 2000, S.O. 2000, c. 9. (“Brian’s Law”), which was enacted by the Ontario legislature in 2000. Brian’s Law amended the Mental Health Act (“MHA”), adding provisions that expanded criteria for involuntary committal in a psychiatric hospital and introduced community treatment …Read more
Association for the Defence of Human Rights in Romania-Helsinki Committee on Behalf of Ionel Garcea v. Romania
Country: RomaniaYear: 2015
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: Application No. 2959/11
Health Topics: Chronic and noncommunicable diseases, Health care and health services, Infectious diseases, Informed consent, Medical malpractice, Mental health, Prisons
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to life
The applicant was a Romanian NGO known as the Association for the Defence of Human Rights in Romania-Helsinki Committee (“Association”), representing a deceased party, Ionel Garcea. Garcea was a mentally ill prisoner who died in prison. During his sentence, he made a number of complaints about his treatment, with the Association representing him. In June …Read more
Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust v. C and V
Country: United KingdomYear: 2015
Court: Court of Protection
Citation: [2015] EWCOP 80
Health Topics: Hospitals, Informed consent, Mental health
Human Rights: Right to bodily integrity
The Kings College Hospital challenged respondent C’s ability to decide to end life-saving treatment, effectively choosing to die, by alleging that she lacked mental capacity. C had attempted to commit suicide by ingesting 60 paracetamol tablets with champagne. She made this decision shortly after undergoing treatment for breast cancer and ending of a long term …Read more
Lambert and Ors. v. France
Country: FranceYear: 2015
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: Application No. 46043/14
Health Topics: Health systems and financing, Informed consent
Human Rights: Right to bodily integrity, Right to family life, Right to life
The applicants appealed a decision to terminate artificial nutrition and hydration for their son, who was in a chronic vegetative state. In 2013, Mr. Lambert’s doctor and wife initiated proceedings to terminate care under the Act of 22 April 2005 (“Act”), which amended provisions of the Public Health Code (“Code”). However, the applicants received an …Read more
Atudorei v. Romania
Country: RomaniaYear: 2014
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: Application No. 50131/08
Health Topics: Hospitals, Informed consent, Mental health
Human Rights: Right to liberty and security of person, Right to privacy
Atudorei, a Romanian citizen, alleged that, from an early age, she has been subjected to continued physical and psychological abuse by her parents. The abuse had escalated after they discovered that she attended yoga classes organised by the Movement for Spiritual Integration into the Absolute (MISA), an organisation that was targeted by the police and …Read more
Chief Executive of the Department of Corrections v. All Means All
Country: New ZealandYear: 2014
Court: High Court
Citation: [2014] NZHC 1433
Health Topics: Informed consent, Prisons
Human Rights: Right to bodily integrity, Right to life
In this case, the Chief Executive of the Department of Corrections (“Department”) and the Canterbury District Health Board (“DHB”) sought a declaration of their rights and duties when providing medical treatment to prisoners. Specifically, they wished to receive a declaration that they have a right to provide medical treatment by way of artificial hydration and …Read more
I.V. v. Bolivia (Merits)
Country: BoliviaYear: 2014
Court: Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
Citation: Report No. 72/14, Case 12.655; Merits I.V. BOLIVIA; August 15, 2014
Health Topics: Informed consent, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to bodily integrity, Right to family life, Right to privacy
I.V. went to a hospital for a cesarean section and was sterilized by her doctor. She alleged that the only questions that the doctor had asked her before the procedure were where she had her first cesarean section and whether she had previously had an infection. I.V. maintained that she was not given any information …Read more