It’s a common perception that doctors cannot deny treatment to any patient; however, there exists no law that forces a doctor to treat a patient against his/her wish. Physicians often feel the need to terminate a relationship with a patient for several reasons, including the patient’s inability to pay for the services, failure to appear for the appointments or take prescribed medications, or if the patient seeks services that are morally or religiously objectionable to the physician and/or if a patient is suffering from a contagious disease. However, if the patients or their relatives are an immediate or potential threat to any healthcare staff or other patients, they can be denied treatment.
However, in India, the laws are very unclear regarding these issues. Several laws governing emergency treatment provided by hospitals, antidiscrimination laws, and certain ethical constraints have…
