In some situations, the reason for restricting the rights of the patient is an overriding interest to a third party (the so-called "conflict of duties" doctrine), ie. the unfettered application of the patient's rights would cause serious harm to a third party, there is no other means to avoid the harm and there is a reasonable expectation that the restriction would prevent the harm. In other situations a similar justification applies when the purpose is to avoid serious harm to the patient (the so-called "therapeutic exception"). As this document addresses general principles, these exceptional limitations to the rights of patients have mostly not been included. PURPOSE OF THE DOCUMENT The Principles of the Rights of Patients in Europe are offered as a contribution to support the growing interest in many Member States in the issues of patients' rights. In its scope and focus, this document seeks to reflect and express peoples' aspirations not only for improvements in their health care but also for fuller recognition of their rights as patients. In so doing, it keeps in mind the perspectives of health care providers as well as of patients. This implies the complementary nature of rights and responsibilities: patients have responsibilities both to themselves for their own self-care and to health care providers, and health care providers enjoy the same protection of their human rights as all other people. There is a basic assumption in the text that the articulation of patients' rights will in tum make people more conscious of their responsibilities when seeking and receiving or providing health care, and that this will ensure that patient/provider relationships are marked by mutual support and respect. Patients should be aware of the practical conditions they can make to the optimal functioning of the health system. Their active participation in the diagnosis and treatment process is often desirable and sometimes indispensable. It is always important that they provide the relevant health professionals with all the information required for the purposes of diagnosis and treatment. The patient has an essential role, the reciprocal of the provider's, in ensuring that the dialogue between them is carried out in good faith. Indeed, the role patients play in the appropriate delivery of health care should be underlined, especially in today's complex health systems which are largely supported by collective financial mechanisms and where the economic and equitable use of resources allocated to health care is an objective which can be shared by health professionals and patients alike. Equally, while patients' participation in clinical teaching must be subject to their informed consent, they should also be aware that the competence of future professionals in part depends on patients agreeing to be involved in their training. IMPLENTATION It is a matter for decision by countries how they might make use of a document such as this when reviewing their present policies on, practices in and legislative support to, patients' rights. stupsertod stup5site