The concept and significance of medical confidentiality in Russia: protection and security measures. Implementation problems
https://doi.org/10.17238/2072-3180-2025-3-253-262
Abstract
The article considers the patient's right to protect and defend medical confidentiality, as well as the measures of liability for its disclosure provided for by the legislation of the Russian Federation.
Introduction. The author analyzes the concept of medical confidentiality established by the current legislation, shows the problem of leakage of patients' medical information. Legal measures of protection and security are given, the legislation is analyzed in terms of tightening liability for disclosure of patients' medical confidentiality. In the context of the need to protect medical confidentiality, the author emphasizes the issue of the unequal position of the patient and the doctor, in situations where medical information is disclosed by the patient publicly. The author analyzes the measures of civil, administrative and criminal liability applied to doctors and medical organizations, shows the approach of the courts in resolving medical disputes related to the disclosure of the patient's medical confidentiality.
Conclusion. Based on the results of the analysis, it was concluded that it is necessary to grant the doctor the right to disclose certain medical information without the patient's consent, in cases where the patient himself makes public information that is a medical secret, as well as to establish restrictions on the list of persons who have the right to access patients' medical data and the storage periods for patient data. It seems possible to introduce multi-level authorization at the legislative level when working with electronic medical records.
About the Author
V. S. LipatnikovaRussian Federation
Valentina Sergeevna Lipatnikova – admitted to the bar in the State of New York, member of World Association for Medical Law (WAML), Head of Legal Department
125284, 3 Pekhotnaya Str., Moscow
References
1. Data Leaks in Russia. 2024. [Electronic access]. Access mode: https://www.tadviser.ru/index.php/Article:Data_Leaks. Access date 23.04.2025. (In Russ.)
2. Data Protection in Medical Institutions. 2024. [Electronic access]. Access mode: https://www.infowatch.ru/resursy/vebinary/onlayn-seminar-po-zaschite-dannykh-v-meditsinskikh-uchrezhdeniyakh. Access date 23.04.2025. (In Russ.)
3. Almost 1 Billion Personal Data Leaked in Russia in the First Half of the Year. 2024. [Electronic access]. Access mode: https://www.infowatch.ru/company/presscenter/news/v-rossii-v-pervom-polugodii-uteklo-pochtiodin-milliard-personalnykh-dannykh. Access date: 23.04.2025. (In Russ.)
4. Federal Law “On the Fundamentals of Health Protection of Citizens in the Russian Federation” dated 21.11.2011 № 323-FZ (latest revision). ConsultantPlus. 2011. [Electronic resource]. Access mode: https://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_121895/. Access date: 23.04.2025. (In Russ.)
5. Constitution of the Russian Federation. ConsultantPlus. [Electronic access]. Access mode: https://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_28399/. Access date 23.04.2025.
6. Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of 06.03.1997 № 188. ConsultantPlus. [Electronic access]. Access mode: https://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_13532/942772dce30cfa36b671bcf19ca928e4d698a928/. Access date 23.04.2025. (In Russ.)
7. Resolution of the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation of 01.06.2017 № 19. ConsultantPlus. [Electronic access]. Access mode: https://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_217688/. Access date 23.04.2025. (In Russ.)
8. Order of the Ministry of Health of Russia dated 12.11.2021 № 1050n. NormativKontur. [Electronic access]. Access mode: https://normativ.kontur.ru/document?moduleId=1&documentId=407534. Access date 23.04.2025. (In Russ.)
9. Order of the Ministry of Health of Russia dated 31.07.2020 № 789n. NormativKontur. [Electronic access]. Access mode: https://normativ.kontur.ru/document?moduleId=1&documentId=371380. Access date 23.04.2025. (In Russ.)
10. Federal Law “Civil Code of the Russian Federation” of November 30, 1994 № 51-FZ (latest revision). ConsultantPlus. [Electronic access]. Access mode: https://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_5142/. Access date: April 23, 2025. (In Russ.)
11. Resolution of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation of January 13, 2020 № 1-P. ConsultantPlus. [Electronic access]. Access mode: https://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_342807/. Access date: April 23, 2025. (In Russ.)
12. Informed voluntary consent – implementation of patient-oriented technologies in medical organizations. 2023. [Electronic access]. Access mode: https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/informirovannoe-dobrovolnoesoglasie-realizatsiya-patsiento-orientirovannyh-tehnologiy-v-meditsinskih-organizatsiyah/viewer. Access date 04/23/2025. (In Russ.)
13. Cassation ruling of the Eighth Cassation Court of General Jurisdiction dated 06/14/2023 № 88A-12763/2023. ConsultantPlus. [Electronic access]. Access mode: https://docs7.online-sps.ru/cgi/online.cgi?req=doc&base=KSOJ008&n=103281&dst=100001%2C-1&date=04/23/2025. Access date 04/23/2025. (In Russ.)
14. Federal Law “Labor Code of the Russian Federation” dated 30.12.2001 № 197-FZ (latest revision). ConsultantPlus. 2002. [Electronic resource]. Access mode: https://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_34683/. Access date 23.04.2025. (In Russ.)
15. Appellate ruling of the Omsk Regional Court dated 12.02.2014 in case № 33-649/2014. ConsultantPlus. [Electronic access]. Access mode: https://docs7.online-sps.ru/cgi/online.cgi?req=doc&base=AOSB&n=1713664&dst=100001%2C-1&date=23.04.2025. Access date 23.04.2025. (In Russ.)
16. Federal Law of 27.07.2006 No. 152-FZ “On Personal Data” (latest revision). ConsultantPlus. 2006. [Electronic access]. Access mode: https://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_61801/. Access date 23.04.2025. (In Russ.)
17. Medicine caught a virus. 2024. [Electronic access]. Access mode: https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/6852545. Access date 23.04.2025. (In Russ.)
18. Federal Law of 30.11.2024 № 421-FZ “On Amendments to the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation”. ConsultantPlus. 2024. [Electronic access]. Access mode: https://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_491931/. Access date 23.04.2025. (In Russ.)
19. Federal Law of 30.12.2001 № 196-FZ “Code of the Russian Federation on Administrative Offenses” (latest revision). ConsultantPlus. 2001. [Electronic access]. Access mode: https://docs7.online-sps.ru/cgi/online.cgi?req=doc&base=LAW&n=502642&dst=101595&date=23.04.2025. Access date 23.04.2025. (In Russ.)
20. Resolution of the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation of 13.12.2012 № 35. ConsultantPlus. [Electronic access]. Access mode: https://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_139119/. Access date 23.04.2025. (In Russ.)
Review
For citations:
Lipatnikova V.S. The concept and significance of medical confidentiality in Russia: protection and security measures. Implementation problems. Moscow Surgical Journal. 2025;(3):253-263. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.17238/2072-3180-2025-3-253-262