In a significant development for preventive healthcare, Australia’s national privacy regulator has clarified that clinicians can now directly notify a patient’s blood relatives about serious genetic health risks, provided the patient consents. This landmark decision reinforces ethical medical practice, promotes early intervention, and removes ambiguity around privacy obligations in clinical genetics.

The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) updated Chapter 8 of its Guide to Health Privacy in May 2025. This new guidance affirms that healthcare providers may collect a relative’s contact information from the consenting patient and use it to inform them about inheritable health risks, such as those linked to hereditary cancers or heart diseases. Importantly, this practice does not breach privacy law, provided specific criteria are met.

This update empowers clinicians to implement cascade genetic testing a targeted strategy where at-risk family members are tested for the same condition identified in a diagnosed patient (proband). Until now, clinicians were often unsure whether contacting relatives directly would constitute a privacy violation. The new rules remove that uncertainty and place clinicians in a stronger position to act proactively, with the patient’s cooperation.

Under the clarified rules, patient consent is the foundation of lawful notification. When patients agree, their relatives can be contacted directly even if those relatives haven’t given prior consent. This step is legally justified when direct contact is considered necessary to prevent a serious threat to life, health, or safety. The OAIC acknowledges that reaching out to relatives through the patient alone is often ineffective and can delay crucial testing and treatment.

The revised guidelines stress that such communication must be limited, respectful, and targeted only toward blood relatives typically first- to third-degree relations. Clinicians must document the patient’s consent, establish the clinical necessity, and minimize the amount of identifying information shared.

Medical professionals and public health advocates have widely welcomed the update. Cascade testing is a well-established strategy in clinical genetics, and when done through clinician-led outreach, uptake rates are significantly higher. Studies consistently show that when clinicians not patients take the lead in contacting relatives, participation in genetic testing nearly doubles. This approach significantly enhances the effectiveness of early intervention programs and can even be life-saving.

Moreover, the public overwhelmingly supports this shift. Surveys have shown that most people prefer to receive information about serious genetic risks directly from healthcare providers, rather than through relatives. The concerns over privacy are minimal when the health benefit is potentially life-saving, particularly when appropriate safeguards are in place.

The updated guidance from the OAIC includes a clear flowchart for clinicians to follow. It outlines the legal requirements for collecting and using a relative’s contact details, determining what constitutes a serious threat, and how to ensure privacy is respected during communication. The guide empowers clinicians to act confidently while staying compliant with the law.

This regulatory update also paves the way for future improvements. Experts are now calling for national clinical protocols, unified state privacy laws, and comprehensive training for healthcare providers. These steps will help ensure that cascade testing is implemented ethically, effectively, and consistently across Australia.

In essence, this legal clarification marks a major stride forward for preventive genomic medicine. It ensures that clinicians can act to protect at-risk individuals with the consent of their patients, while also preserving trust, dignity, and data protection. Early notification can make the difference between proactive management and delayed diagnosis and now, clinicians have the tools and authority to make that difference count.