K.H. and Others v. Slovakia
Country: SlovakiaYear: 2009
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: App. No. 32881/04, 49 Eur. Ct. H.R. 34 (2009).
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Health information, Health systems and financing, Hospitals, Informed consent, Medical malpractice, Poverty, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Right of access to information, Right to due process/fair trial, Right to family life
The eight applicants were women of Roma ethnicity, who suspected that they had been sterilized during caesarian section deliveries at two different hospitals. The applicants obtained legal representation, who attempted to examine and obtain copies of their medical records. These requests were denied by the hospitals. The applicants then brought actions against the hospitals in …Read more
Vinicio Poblete Vilches v. Chile
Country: ChileYear: 2009
Court: Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
Citation: Report No. 13/09, Petition 339-02, March 19, 2009
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Hospitals, Medical malpractice
Human Rights: Right to bodily integrity, Right to due process/fair trial, Right to life
The case concerns the death of Mr. Vinicio Antonio Poblete Vilches that took place in a public hospital in the city of Santiago. The petitioners (Mr. Vilches’ wife and sons) claimed that the physicians treating Mr. Vilches were responsible for his death. In January 2001, Mr. Vilches was brought to a public hospital in Santiago …Read more
I.V. v. Bolivia (Admissibility)
Country: BoliviaYear: 2008
Court: Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
Citation: Report No. 40/08, Petition 270-07, July 23, 2008; OEA/Ser.L/V/II.134, Doc. 5, rev. 1, 25 February 2009
Health Topics: Informed consent, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Freedom of expression, Right to bodily integrity, Right to due process/fair trial, Right to family life, Right to liberty and security of person, Right to privacy
In 2000, the Ombudsman of Bolivia, on behalf of the victim, lodged a petition to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights alleging that victim was submitted to a surgical procedure of ligature of the fallopian tubes in a public hospital without her informed consent and this was therefore an involuntary sterilization. The Ombudsman further alleged …Read more
Shtukaturov v. Russia
Country: RussiaYear: 2008
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: App. No. 44009/05, Eur. Ct. H.R. (2008).
Health Topics: Informed consent, Mental health
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to bodily integrity, Right to due process/fair trial, Right to liberty and security of person, Right to privacy
The applicant, Mr. Shtukaturov, was born in 1982 and first began showing signs of mental illness in 2002. In August 2002, he was held for approximately 8 months in a psychiatric hospital, receiving a diagnosis of simple schizophrenia. On August 3, 2004, Shtukaturov’s mother petitioned the Vasileostrovskiy District Court of St. Petersburg, claiming that her …Read more
Solomakhin v. Ukraine
Country: UkraineYear: 2008
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: [2012] ECHR 24429/03
Health Topics: Chronic and noncommunicable diseases, Health care and health services, Hospitals, Infectious diseases, Informed consent, Medical malpractice
Human Rights: Right to bodily integrity, Right to privacy
The applicant, Sergey Solomakhin, visited Donetsk City Hospital on November 23rd, 1998. There, he was diagnosed with an acute respiratory disease and prescribed out-patient treatment. On his next visit, the hospital conducted a diphtheria vaccine reaction test, and he did not react to the diphtheria antigens. On November 28th, 1998, he was vaccinated against diphtheria. …Read more
E.B. v. X
Country: ItalyYear: 2007
Court: Supreme Court of Cassation
Citation: Case No. 21748/2007 of 16 October 2007
Health Topics: Diet and nutrition, Disabilities, Informed consent, Mental health
Human Rights: Right to bodily integrity, Right to health, Right to life, Right to privacy
E.E., an adult, was in a car accident in 1992. As a result of this accident, she entered into an irreversible vegetative coma. E.E. was not clinically dead, defined as the “irreversible cessation of all encephalon functions,” but was clinically in a permanent vegetative state (PVS). She was kept alive through force-feeding by means of …Read more
R (on the application of H) v. Secretary of State for Health
Country: United KingdomYear: 2005
Court: House of Lords
Citation: [2005] UKHL 60
Health Topics: Hospitals, Informed consent, Mental health
Human Rights: Right to due process/fair trial, Right to liberty and security of person
H challenged the provision of the Mental Health Act 1983 under which she was detained as incompatible with her right to liberty and security under Human Rights Act 1998. H was a 32-year old woman who was severely disabled by Down’s syndrome. H’s mother intensely distrusted health and social services, and refused on many occasions …Read more
Case 36/2000 (X. 27.) AB
Country: HungaryYear: 2004
Court: Constitutional Court
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Informed consent, Mental health, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Freedom of religion, Right to bodily integrity, Right to due process/fair trial, Right to health, Right to liberty and security of person
The Court issued this decision in response to numerous petitions challenging the constitutionality of the sections of the Act CLIV of 1997 on Healthcare pertaining to the treatment of psychiatric patients, especially those with limited disposing capacity. One petitioner objected to the provision of the AH which allowed a therapist to use the assistance of …Read more
Case 22/2003 (IV.28)
Country: HungaryYear: 2003
Court: Constitutional Court
Health Topics: Health information, Informed consent, Medical malpractice
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Right to bodily integrity, Right to life
The Court of Hungary received several petitions regarding the right of patients suffering from terminal illnesses to end their lives with dignity and consolidated the petitions into a single judgment. One petition asked the Court to declare unconstitutional and annul the last sentence in Section 43, paragraph (2) of Act II of 1972 on Healthcare. …Read more
Maria Mamerita Mestanza Chavez v. Peru
Country: PeruYear: 2003
Court: Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
Citation: Report No. 66/00, Case 12.191, October 3, 2000; OEA/Ser./L/V/II.111, doc. 20 rev., 16 April 2001
Health Topics: Informed consent, Medical malpractice, Poverty, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Right to bodily integrity, Right to health, Right to life
A group of NGOs lodged a petition with the Commission alleging that Peru violated Maria Mamérita Mestanza Chávez’s rights on account of a forced sterilization that resulted in her death. Peru implemented a family planning policy involving compulsory and systematic sterilization in order to modify the reproductive behavior of the population. Poor, indigenous, and rural …Read more