Article 17 of the Saudi Healthcare Professions Practice Law
المادة 17 من نظام مزاولة المهن الصحية
The article requires the treating practitioner to alert the patient to the need for a consultation and to agree to the patient's request for one, and allows the practitioner to decline to continue treatment if they see no need for it or disagree with the consultant.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يجب على الممارس الصحي المعالج- إذا رأى ضرورة استشارة ممارس صحي آخر- أن ينبه المريض أو ذويه إلى ذلك، كما يجب عليه أن يوافق على الاستعانة بممارس صحي آخر إذا طلب المريض أو ذووه ذلك، وللممارس الصحي أن يقترح اسم الممارس الصحي الذي يرى ملاءمة الاستعانة به.
وإذا قدر الممارس الصحي المعالج أنه لا ضرورة إلى استشارة ممارس صحي آخر، أو اختلف معه في الرأي عند استشارته فله الحق في الاعتذار عن متابعة العلاج دون التزام منه بتقديم أسباب لاعتذاره.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 17 explained in plain English
This article regulates the medical consultation, meaning bringing in another healthcare practitioner in treating the patient, and sets rights and duties for both sides.
Duties of the treating practitioner:
- If they see a need to consult another practitioner, they must alert the patient or the patient's relatives to that.
- If the patient or relatives ask to bring in another practitioner, they must agree.
They may suggest the name of the practitioner they consider suitable, but the text does not oblige the patient to accept their suggestion.
The practitioner's right to decline: If the treating practitioner considers there is no need to consult another practitioner, or disagrees with them when consulted, they have the right to decline to continue treatment, without being obliged to give reasons for declining.
The article thus protects the patient's right to another opinion, and at the same time protects the independence of the treating practitioner, who is not forced to continue a treatment they are not convinced of. It is connected to Article 16, which allows declining treatment for acceptable reasons other than in critical or urgent cases, and to Article 18, which requires alerting the patient or relatives to treatment instructions and warning them of the consequences of not following them. Anyone with a question about a particular case may consult a lawyer specialized in healthcare practice and medical malpractice cases.
Practical example
A physician in Riyadh is treating Fahad's father for a heart condition, and Fahad asks for his father to be seen by another consultant for a second opinion. The physician must agree, and may suggest the name of a consultant he considers suitable. If the consultant's opinion differs from his, he may decline to continue treatment without being obliged to state reasons.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 17 of the Saudi Healthcare Professions Practice Law
Does a patient have the right to ask for another doctor's opinion?
Yes. The treating practitioner must agree to bring in another healthcare practitioner if the patient or relatives ask for it.
May a doctor withdraw if the consulting doctor disagrees?
Yes. If they disagree with the consultant or see no need for a consultation, they may decline to continue treatment without being obliged to give reasons.
Must a doctor tell the patient they need a consultation?
Yes. If they see a need to consult another healthcare practitioner, they must alert the patient or the patient's relatives to that.
More articles on Patient Rights and Consent to Treatment
- Article 15
The article requires the healthcare practitioner to carry out diagnosis with the necessary care using suitable technical means and those the case calls for, and to give the patient what they request about their condition and test results, accurately and objectively.
يجب على الممارس الصحي أن يجري التشخيص بالعناية اللازمة مستعينًا بالوسائل الفنية الملائمة، وبمن تستدعي ظروف الحالة الاستعانة بهم من الأخصائيين أو المساعدين، وأن
- Article 16
The article allows the healthcare practitioner to decline to treat a patient for acceptable professional or personal reasons, except in critical or urgent cases.
للممارس الصحي - في غير الحالات الخطرة أو العاجلة- أن يعتذر عن علاج مريض لأسباب مهنية، أو شخصية مقبولة.
- Article 18
The article requires the practitioner to alert the patient or relatives to follow instructions and warn them of the consequences of not doing so, and leaves the physician to judge whether to disclose an incurable or life-threatening illness unless the patient forbids it or names who may be told.
يلتزم الممارس الصحي بتنبيه المريض أو ذويه إلى ضرورة اتباع ما يحدده لهم من تعليمات وتحذيرهم من خطورة النتائج التي قد تترتب على عدم مراعاتها بعد شرح الوضع العلاجي
- Article 19
The article requires patient consent or that of a representative or guardian before any medical work, requires intervention without consent in the specified emergency cases, and prohibits ending the life of a patient with no medical hope of recovery.
يجب ألا يجري أي عمل طبي لمريض إلا برضاه، أو موافقة من يمثله، أو ولي أمره إذا لم يعتد بإرادته هو، واستثناء من ذلك يجب على الممارس الصحي- في حالات الحوادث أو الطو
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.