When psychiatrists learn that their patients use illicit drugs, they often report them to the police. At this time, at least three patient rights are neglected, which are the right to confidentiality, right to self-determination, and right to medical care of good quality. Reports to the police are at the doctor's discretion, and they are not required. Furthermore, they often report drug offences, but are not likely to report other crimes. The reason is not simply personal prejudice or discrimination but structural stigma, which is deep-rooted in society. Those who are more vulnerable, such as women and children, face greater hardships. Stigma among healthcare professionals related to substance use is created or reinforced through punitive enforcement worldwide. Therefore, advocacy of the rights of people who use drugs is to demand that people with social privilege use it to make a fair society.
<Author's abstract>
Stigma Makes Psychiatrists Report Their Patients to the Police: Advocacy of the Rights of People Who Use Drugs
Japan Advocacy Network for Drug Policy
Psychiatria et Neurologia Japonica
122: 616-622, 2020
<Keywords:illicit drug use, advocacy, rights of the patient, stigma, gender>