Article Text
PDFAt the coalface: medical ethics in practice
The man who claimed to be a paedophile
Abstract
A psychiatrist recounts a case of a man presenting with severe depression who claimed to have abused children and his pet dog.
Clinical management of the case hinged on whether this claim was true, a lie or delusional. The uncertainty over this raised complex ethical dilemmas regarding confidentiality and protection of the public (and animals).
- Paedophilia
- confidentiality
- duty to public
- psychotic depression
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Footnotes
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Dr Simon A Hill, MA, BM, Bch, is a Senior House Officer in Acute and Rehabilitation Psychiatry.
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