The Ethical Implications of a Breach Of Confidentiality There are four basic principles that govern confidentiality; autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice (Beauchamp & Childress, 2001). Patients ought to be allowed to make independent judgments regarding their medical conditions. If a patient has a terminal illness, he should declare whether the condition can be made public for more assistance, such as the establishment of a caregiving dyad. The patient’s best interest must always be considered by the health practitioners (Ridley, 1998). The patient has a right to choose what is acceptable for him. Furthermore, medical practitioners must be aware of treatments that can harm patients. This helps them to counter the effects of hazardous treatments such as chemotherapy, with benefits of regular treatment such as therapy. Therefore, medical practitioners should never do harmful practices such as euthanasia, commonly known as “mercy killing”. Preservation of human life should always be their first priority (Purtilo, 1999). On the issue of justice, it is advisable for medics to avoid discrimination while dealing with patients. It is beneficial to achieve maximum satisfaction for each patient, and avoid segregation of patients on the basis of color, race, gender or social class. This brings about equity and enhances the relationship between a patient and a medic. Professionals should maintain their clients’ confidentiality at all times (Penslar, 1995). However, sometimes it seems prudent to violate this ethical principle. The following conditions can lead to violation of confidentiality.   * Determination that the client may hurt some people around him   * Difficulties in treating a patient’s condition   * Requirement for personal information by an insurance company   * Investigation of sexual abuse   * Requirement of confidential information by a court of law Ethical dilemma The ethical dilemma presented in the article involves moral negotiators versus moral strangers (Beuchamp & Childress, 2001). It shows a situation whereby medical professionals have to take care of people, who are not fully aware of the moral principles that govern them. Consequently, some medical professionals take advantage of such people and often partake in breach of confidentiality. Nurse Hathaway is in a dilemma and does not know whether to inform the 14 year old girl’s parents about her cervical cancer disease. In most cases, children below 18 years are minors whose social needs including medication are parents’ responsibilities. Hathaway had vowed not to tell anyone about the girl’s condition, yet the girl cannot meet all treatment expenses (Nathanson, 2000). This situation would require counseling and this means that the girl’s condition must be known by therapists. Furthermore, upon knowledge by the mother, she might request for investigation by the police to determine whether her daughter underwent sexual molestation. Hathaway, genuinely needs help on this issue of confidentiality. A Framework for Ethical Decision Making This framework was developed at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University (Velasquez et al, 2012). It requires a step-by-step analysis of ethical approaches such a