What is the duty to warn and duty to protect?

• A. Duty to warn or protect third parties in the face of credible threats; obligations vary by jurisdiction and balance safety with confidentiality.
• B. Always disclose patient information to the general public.
• C. Never warn anyone under any circumstance.
• D. Only warn if a court orders you.

Answer: (A)

The central idea is that clinicians must take protective action when there is a credible threat to someone else. When a patient poses a real and identifiable risk, the professional is obligated to intervene to reduce harm. This intervention can include warning the potential victim, notifying authorities, or taking steps like involuntary hospitalization or other safety measures—what exactly happens depends on local laws and professional guidelines. The concept originates from the Tarasoff framework, which established a duty to protect, but the specifics vary by jurisdiction, balancing safety with patient confidentiality. The correct answer captures this balance and the action-oriented duty: warn or protect third parties in the face of credible threats, with the exact duties shaped by law and professional standards. The other ideas—disclosing to the public always, never warning, or waiting for a court order—misstate how these duties operate, as safeguards are targeted to identifiable risks and often do not require a court order.