Dr Vera Learns in the Midst of a Therapy Session

question 55

Multiple Choice

Dr. Vera learns in the midst of a therapy session that his client has been committing a series of violent rapes. Can Dr. Vera divulge this information to the police?

• A) Yes, but only if the client comes with the therapist to the police.
• B) Yes, however therapists are not mandated to breach confidentiality when clients inform them that they have committed past crimes, and that doing so would create liability for them.
• C) No, privileged communication is a right only the client can waive.
• D) No, criminal action is not an exception to confidentiality.

---

Definitions:

Coenzymes

Non-protein chemical compounds that bind to an enzyme and help it to catalyze a reaction.

Reversible Inhibitor

A substance that forms weak bonds with an enzyme, temporarily interfering with its function; a reversible inhibitor is either competitive or noncompetitive. Compare with irreversible inhibitor.

Chemical Bonds

The attraction between atoms or molecules that allows the formation of chemical compounds, can be ionic, covalent, or metallic.

Enzyme

Organic compounds that considerably accelerate nearly all chemical processes occurring inside cells.