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the physician would not reveal his secrets. Therefore, breaching 82 WHEN AND HOW TO REVEAL TO PARENTS THAT #
the patient’s trust may be considered stealing. After all, the pa- THEY GAVE BIRTH TO A BLIND CHILD? .......................... 111
tient is not likely to have paid the physician had he known this Should a Son Tell His Father of his Terminal Illness? ..........120
would happen. Therefore, even without his oath, the physician
would be prohibited from revealing his patient’s illness. 83 PATIENT OPPOSES TELLING HIS WIFE THAT HIS DAYS
ARE NUMBERED ........................................................................122
3. It has been said that if physicians reveal the secrets of their pa-
tients, an increasing number of people would know that giving Causing a Father Anguish by Telling Him that his Daughter is
over medical information to a physician is likely hurt them in Sick ............................................................................................. 124
the future. As a result, they will withhold the information and
will not receive necessary treatment. Moreover, they may receive 84 PROVIDING THE PATIENT WITH THE RESULTS OF HIS
treatments that will harm them and lead to a situation of pi- X-RAY ............................................................................................127
kuach nefesh. How to Reveal Painful News ....................................................131
Is it Proper to Avoid Telling Bad News ..................................134
In Responsa Chelkas Yaakov (Vol. 3 #136 and in the reprinting, Even
Ha’ezer #79) there is a ruling about a cancer patient who is preparing
to marry a woman, while and he and his family are unaware of his 85 TRANSFER OF A PATIENT FROM WHERE HE IS, TO A 20818_efi-ab - 20818_park-C_efi-ab | 1 - A | 18-08-20 | 13:46:23 | SR:-- | Magenta #20818_efi-ab - 20818_park-C_efi-ab | 1 - A | 18-08-20 | 13:46:23 | SR:-- | Yellow 20818_efi-ab - 20818_park-C_efi-ab | 1 - A |
illness. Is the physician obligated to reveal the patient’s condition PLACE WITH WORSE CARE ..................................................139
to his bride? In the physicians’ opinion he will not live longer than Transferring an Elderly Patient to a Nursing-Care Ward
another year or two. Clearly, if the bride was aware of this, she would because of his Repulsive Behavior ...........................................153
not marry him.
86 DECEIVING A HEALTHCARE CLINIC (KUPAT CHOLIM)
The Chelkas Yaakov answers this question by quoting the Rambam
(Hilchos Rotze’ach, Ch. 1, #14) who writes that “If one sees his friend IN ORDER TO PROVIDE PATIENTS WITH BETTER
TREATMENT ..............................................................................155
drowning in the ocean or being attacked by robbers or being gored by
a wild animal etc., or he hears gentiles or kidnappers plotting against Altering the Truth in Order to Receive Better Care ..............163
him or setting a trap for him, and he does not reveal this to his friend,
he violates the prohibition of “Do not stand idly by the blood of your 87 TRANSFERRING HIS WIFE FROM ONE HOSPITAL TO
fellowman.” Therefore, the Chelkas Yaakov rules that one is obligated ANOTHER, AGAINST HER WISHES ...................................165
to tell the bride about her groom’s illness. What difference does it The Husband’s Obligation to Heal his Wife if she Disregard-
make whether someone was actually plotting against her or if a match ed her own Health .....................................................................168
will simply cause her suffering? Marrying him will leave her an unfor- If Someone Summoned an Ambulance to his Friend’s House
tunate widow within a very short time. Moreover, the treatments her in order to take Revenge and Frighten Him, How will he
husband receives may harm her future fetus. The physician who can Atone for His Sin? .....................................................................169
prevent her from this agony, violates the precept of “Do not stand idly
by the blood of your fellowman,” if he does not tell her the truth. The 88 DESECRATING SHABBOS SO THAT AN EXPERT
Radvaz (Vol. 5 #208, Texts of Rambam 1582) adds that this prohibi- SURGEON PERFORMS THE SURGERY ...............................177

10 1 Medical-HalacHic Responsa of Rav ZilbeRstein Table of Contents 2 ix