British Medical Association warns against patient Facebook requests

The British Medical Association has advised doctors and medical students not to accept Facebook friend requests from current or former patients. The association states that accepting such requests can blur boundaries in the doctor-patient relationship and risks privacy and professionalism. Doctors and medical students are also reminded of their ethical and legal duty to protect patient confidentiality, and that defamation laws can apply to comments made on the internet. Medical students are warned that their social media presence could impact their career prospects.