Posts Tagged ‘ethics’

Sometimes online therapists violate the confidentiality of their clients — and sometimes the field lacks adequate protections for the well-being of those clients. That, unfortunately, is one conclusion of an article we published recounting the facts of how a group of six self-proclaimed ‘experts’ in online therapy exposed confidential client information on a major web portal. The BACP has upheld our decision to publish this information, provided that the identifying details of relevant professional bodies and those responsible for violating client confidentiality are removed.

Interesting developments in mental health news last week include the first skin patch for treating Alzheimer’s disease, an FDA public health warning about serotonin syndrome from combining certain anti-depressants with certain headache medications, and word of apparently serious conflicts of interest at two major medical journals publishing studies about vagus nerve stimulation and about the use of antidepressants during pregnancy.

The ISMHO’s ad hoc handling of evidence that one of the organization’s founders inadvertently published confidential client material on a public website without consent, and the subsequent expulsion of the whistleblower, highlight several constructive opportunities for improving and reforming the ISMHO and bringing a more explicit ethical component to its management. This document outlines seven suggested principles for raising the standard of ethical and competent management within the International Society for Mental Health Online.

Two weeks after well documented facts were published indicating unethical behaviour by an ISMHO founder, the mental health organization’s board of directors has formally expelled the whistleblower for activities contrary to the best interests of ISMHO — i.e., for telling the truth. The result of the board’s secret deliberations comes just days after board members misled the ISMHO membership, claiming the APA had found that no unethical behaviour had ever occurred.

The International Society for Mental Health Online has expelled from its discussion list the whistleblower who first brought evidence to light suggesting unethical behaviour on the part of one of the group’s board members. The expulsion has apparently occurred in violation of the organization’s own guidelines. In addition, I would like to apologize publicly for incorrectly suggesting the ISMHO had censored the original message pointing to the evidence of this unprofessional behaviour.