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What is the principle of confidentiality in health care?
Model-written, not yet read by a native reader.
Correct answer: The doctor keeps the patient's medical information secret. The doctor must keep a patient's medical information secret. Medical secrecy continues even after the patient dies. Outside the cases set by law, breaking it is punished. Source: the Ministry of the Interior sheet “Santé : les droits et les devoirs du patient” (in French).
Sources: Sheet “Santé : les droits et les devoirs du patient” (French), read on 21 October 2026. Answer written by Hexaciv from this source. Hexaciv is an independent preparation tool. It is not an official website, is not linked to any government body and does not give legal advice. The authoritative source is the Ministry of the Interior's, cited on this page.
The four choices and why
- ✗ The patient cannot read their own medical fileLe patient ne peut pas lire son dossier médicalThe patient has the right to access their medical file.
- ✗ The doctor tells the patient's employer about the illnessLe médecin informe l'employeur du patient de sa maladieThis breaks medical secrecy, which the law punishes.
- ✓ The doctor keeps the patient's medical information secretLe médecin garde secrètes les informations médicales du patientCorrect answer. The doctor must keep a patient's medical information secret. Medical secrecy continues even after the patient dies. Outside the cases set by law, breaking it is punished.
- ✗ The doctor tells friends about the consultationsLe médecin raconte les consultations à ses amisOutside the cases set by law, this is punished.
What the source says
« Le principe de confidentialité fait que le médecin est obligé de garder secrètes les informations médicales d'un patient. »
Sentence copied word for word from the source, in French, read on 21 October 2026.
How it reads on exam day
The exam is in French, so this is the question you will see: « Qu'est-ce que le principe de confidentialité en santé ? ». Learn the English idea above and the French words in the options.
This question is on the official list for the resident card (CR). The Ministry's wording: “Qu’est-ce que le principe de confidentialité dans le domaine de la santé ?”.
Where the Ministry explains it
Sheet “Santé : les droits et les devoirs du patient” (French).
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