Difference between revisions of "Physician-Patient Privilege"

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''Northern Territory'': "A medical practitioner shall not, without the consent of his patient, divulge in any civil proceeding (unless the sanity of the patient is the matter in dispute) any communication made to him in his professional character by the patient, and necessary to enable him to prescribe or act for the patient."   
 
''Northern Territory'': "A medical practitioner shall not, without the consent of his patient, divulge in any civil proceeding (unless the sanity of the patient is the matter in dispute) any communication made to him in his professional character by the patient, and necessary to enable him to prescribe or act for the patient."   
  
==New Zealand==
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===New Zealand===
  
 
Though the physician-patient privilege started out as applying only to civil cases, in 1980, New Zealand extended it to criminal proceedings as well. In order to qualify as privileged in criminal cases, the communication needs to meet the requirements for privilege in civil cases, and also show that the purpose of the communication was to enable the doctor to examine, treat or act for the patient for (a) drug dependency or (b) any other condition or behavior that manifests itself in criminal conduct. The Evidence Act of 2006 reaffirms this notion.
 
Though the physician-patient privilege started out as applying only to civil cases, in 1980, New Zealand extended it to criminal proceedings as well. In order to qualify as privileged in criminal cases, the communication needs to meet the requirements for privilege in civil cases, and also show that the purpose of the communication was to enable the doctor to examine, treat or act for the patient for (a) drug dependency or (b) any other condition or behavior that manifests itself in criminal conduct. The Evidence Act of 2006 reaffirms this notion.

Revision as of 13:08, 4 October 2010