Critically Rethinking the Right Not to Know: Legal Ambiguity and Theoretical Fragility

In an era marked by unprecedented access to information and rapid advancements in health care technologies, the Right Not to Know (RNTK) has emerged as a key yet contentious concept within legal discourses. RNTK grants individuals the capacity to refuse knowledge about their health care or genetic p...

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Main Authors: Abbas Mirshekari, Jamshid Zargari
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Bond University 2025-07-01
Series:Bond Law Review
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.53300/001c.142358
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author Abbas Mirshekari
Jamshid Zargari
author_facet Abbas Mirshekari
Jamshid Zargari
author_sort Abbas Mirshekari
collection DOAJ
description In an era marked by unprecedented access to information and rapid advancements in health care technologies, the Right Not to Know (RNTK) has emerged as a key yet contentious concept within legal discourses. RNTK grants individuals the capacity to refuse knowledge about their health care or genetic profile, thereby strengthening personal autonomy and self-determination. This right is increasingly incorporated into international legal frameworks and human rights principles as a protection against paternalistic tendencies in health care and the overwhelming flood of contemporary data. Despite this development, its legal enforcement remains inconsistent, situated in a regulatory grey zone characterised by uncertainty and diverse interpretations. Theoretically, RNTK’s validity is both supported and challenged. The current study employs a thorough examination of these aspects to evaluate whether RNTK represents an established right in the field of human rights or a contentious right in international and domestic law, especially Australia. This analysis aims to clarify its broader implications for societies.
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spelling doaj-art-33ecb32c2dd2447a93acb75d9d6579ae2025-08-20T02:50:40ZengBond UniversityBond Law Review1033-45052202-48242025-07-0137110.53300/001c.142358Critically Rethinking the Right Not to Know: Legal Ambiguity and Theoretical FragilityAbbas MirshekariJamshid ZargariIn an era marked by unprecedented access to information and rapid advancements in health care technologies, the Right Not to Know (RNTK) has emerged as a key yet contentious concept within legal discourses. RNTK grants individuals the capacity to refuse knowledge about their health care or genetic profile, thereby strengthening personal autonomy and self-determination. This right is increasingly incorporated into international legal frameworks and human rights principles as a protection against paternalistic tendencies in health care and the overwhelming flood of contemporary data. Despite this development, its legal enforcement remains inconsistent, situated in a regulatory grey zone characterised by uncertainty and diverse interpretations. Theoretically, RNTK’s validity is both supported and challenged. The current study employs a thorough examination of these aspects to evaluate whether RNTK represents an established right in the field of human rights or a contentious right in international and domestic law, especially Australia. This analysis aims to clarify its broader implications for societies.https://doi.org/10.53300/001c.142358
spellingShingle Abbas Mirshekari
Jamshid Zargari
Critically Rethinking the Right Not to Know: Legal Ambiguity and Theoretical Fragility
Bond Law Review
title Critically Rethinking the Right Not to Know: Legal Ambiguity and Theoretical Fragility
title_full Critically Rethinking the Right Not to Know: Legal Ambiguity and Theoretical Fragility
title_fullStr Critically Rethinking the Right Not to Know: Legal Ambiguity and Theoretical Fragility
title_full_unstemmed Critically Rethinking the Right Not to Know: Legal Ambiguity and Theoretical Fragility
title_short Critically Rethinking the Right Not to Know: Legal Ambiguity and Theoretical Fragility
title_sort critically rethinking the right not to know legal ambiguity and theoretical fragility
url https://doi.org/10.53300/001c.142358
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AT jamshidzargari criticallyrethinkingtherightnottoknowlegalambiguityandtheoreticalfragility