Law in Medicine
The main purpose of the project was the dissemination of legal knowledge in the field of medicine, exploring the legal problems that arise in this context. In order to fulfil the aforementioned purpose, topics such as the following will be explored and researched: medical liability, patients’ rights and duties, the relationship between the health professionals and the patients, medical confidentiality, personal data, the clinical process, informed consent, ethical and professional issues. The project was aimed at students and health practitioners (such as doctors, nurses, psychologists, and hospital managers) and students and legal practitioners (such as lawyers, judges, and legal advisers). The aim was to increase the understanding and awareness of those who have to work on the fields of medicine and law, developing a common expertise between these interrelated fields of knowledge. The aim was to stimulate discussion about medical-legal issues and to provide practice-oriented training in order to contribute to a better and efficient exercise of the professional activity of health professionals, avoiding the mass complaints and lawsuits filed against health professionals and to contribute to the improvement of the relationships established between health professionals and patients. Health professionals do not often have an in-depth knowledge of medical-legal issues, which increases the proliferation of patient complaints and lawsuits, with serious practical consequences for health professionals, medical institutions, and patients. Additionally, this issue has not been sufficiently investigated within the scope of the law, and there is a notable lack of knowledge among jurists about it. Despite its practical relevance, this is a topic that is not very developed in law schools and is practically unknown among health professionals.
Duration: 2019-2022.
Co-PI: Margarida Santos
Team: Cláudia Figueiras, Diana Coutinho, Isa Meireles, João Nuno Barros, Maria João Lourenço, Miriam Rocha, Rui Polónia.