Which ethical principle protects patient secrets?

• A. Justice
• B. Veracity
• C. Autonomy
• D. Confidentiality

Answer: (D)

Protecting patient secrets is confidentiality: the obligation to keep information learned in the patient–provider relationship private and only share it with those who need to know for care or with the patient’s consent. This principle preserves trust, enables honest communication, and is supported by privacy laws and professional standards. Justice deals with fairness in care, veracity is about telling the truth, and autonomy is about the patient’s control over decisions and information; none of these directly protect private information in the same way confidentiality does. Violating confidentiality by sharing records with someone not involved can damage trust and have legal consequences, which is why confidentiality is the correct principle.