Patient photographs on Google Images: a commentary on informed consent, copyright, and privacy laws

Patient photographs published in medical journals have been found on Google Images two studies, raising concerns about informed consent and patient privacy. It is unlikely that includes consideration of these circumstances, as there are no uniform guidelines for obtaining the publishing clinical across online journals. Health data privacy legislation EU, US, Canada only concerned with identifiable photographs, their deidentification inconsistent. Patients limited legal recourse such cases, liability search engines, publishers, clinicians unclear under law. Better publication practices, well ethical dissemination sensitive information by tech companies, necessary to address issues.