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
Government of the Republic of Namibia v. LM et al.
Country: NamibiaYear: 2014
Court: Supreme Court of Namibia
Citation: [2014] NASC 19
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Health information, HIV/AIDS, Informed consent, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Right to bodily integrity, Right to family life
The respondents, three Namibian HIV positive pregnant women, were sterilized while undergoing emergency caesareans. The respondents each signed a consent form, which included consent to the caesarean operation and sterilization through bilateral tubal ligation (BLT) but claimed that they did not provide informed consent which is required for sterilization to be considered lawful. The first …Read more
Government of the Republic of Namibia v. LM, et al.
Country: NamibiaYear: 2014
Court: Supreme Court
Citation: (SA 49/2012) [2014] NASC 19
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Health information, HIV/AIDS, Hospitals, Informed consent, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Right to bodily integrity, Right to family life, Right to privacy
Three Namibian women who were all pregnant and HIV-positive were sterilized at State hospitals after giving birth. The women claimed they were sterilized without their informed consent, and that they were sterilized due to their HIV-positive status. The first woman said that her doctor (through her nurse) told her that all HIV-positive women must have …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
L.H. v. Latvia
Country: LatviaYear: 2014
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: Application No. 52019/07
Health Topics: Health information, Hospitals, Informed consent, Medical malpractice, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Right to privacy
The applicant gave birth by Caesarean section in the Cesis District Central Hospital (Cesis Hospital) in 1997. The surgeon conducting the Caesarean section performed a tubal ligation (surgical contraception) without the applicant’s consent. The applicant commenced civil proceedings against the hospital to recover damages for the unauthorized procedure. Ultimately, in December 2006, the applicant’s claim …Read more
Cuthbertson v. Rasouli
Country: CanadaYear: 2013
Court: Supreme Court
Citation: 2013 SCC 53
Health Topics: Informed consent
Human Rights: Right to bodily integrity
Doctors Cuthbertson and Rubenfeld sought a declaration that the withdrawal of life support from a patient was not treatment requiring consent under the Health Care Consent Act (“HCCA”) where its continued provision is deemed futile. In 2010, following surgery to remove a benign brain tumor, Mr. Rasouli contracted an infection that caused severe brain damage. …Read more
G.B. and R.B. v. The Republic of Moldova
Country: MoldovaYear: 2013
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: Application No. 16761/09
Health Topics: Hospitals, Informed consent, Medical malpractice, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Right to bodily integrity, Right to family life
Plaintiffs in this case were husband and wife. When G.B. was giving birth at the Stefan-Vodă regional hospital, a state-owned regional hospital, the head of the obstetrics and gynecology department preformed a Caesarean section on her and removed her ovaries and Fallopian tubes without obtaining her permission. As a result, G.B. suffered early menopause and …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
I.G. and Others v. Slovakia
Country: SlovakiaYear: 2012
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: App. No. 15966/04
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Hospitals, Informed consent, Medical malpractice, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right of access to information, Right to family life
Three applicants of Roma ethnic origin were all sterilized in a public hospital during Caesarean section deliveries. The first applicant was not told that she had been sterilized. After the delivery, a doctor asked her to sign a document that all women who had Caesarean sections had to sign. Five days after the delivery she …Read more
M v. Ukraine
Country: UkraineYear: 2012
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: Application No. 2452/04
Health Topics: Hospitals, Informed consent, Mental health
Human Rights: Right to liberty and security of person
The applicant was hospitalized for mental illness four times between 1999 and 2006. The first time, the applicant received in-patient treating in a state-run hospital. In 2000, the applicant was registered as a person with potential mental problems with the Odessa Region Psychoneurological Dispensary. Three years later, the applicant was again involuntarily hospitalized. A doctor …Read more