VIETNAMESE ETHICAL AND LEGAL CHALLENGES IN PROTECTING PATIENT PRIVACY THROUGH INFORMED CONSENT

This article examines the relationship between patients and healthcare facilities or medical practitioners through the lens of informed consent, emphasizing the patient’s right to informational privacy, which includes personal and health-related data. From the perspective of the 2023 Law on Medical Examination and Treatment and the 2025 Law on Personal Data Protection, the article presents objective arguments highlighting the need to protect patients’ rights in the processing and sharing of personal and health information. These arguments are grounded in both ethical principles and legal justifications. However, under the current Vietnamese legal framework, patients’ rights to keep their health information confidential are not fully protected, especially regarding informed consent. This insufficient legal protection may hinder the growth of the healthcare system, particularly in the era of digital transformation.