Conflict of Interest?

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I am currently undiagnosed, and I need a formal diagnosis before I can return to college (long story, and not important to the question).

I am currently uninsured, and have been saving money to pay for said diagnosis out of pocket.

It was brought to my attention earlier today, that my Aunt, who lives halfway across the country from me (and whom I have had very little interaction with -- a total of maybe 9 or 10 days in the 34.5 years I've been alive) is qualified to diagnose AS, and offered to do so for me, provided I go to visit her.

My question is: is there a conflict of interest here, or any other ethical issues with obtaining a diagnosis from a family member?

Good question, if your anut is a medical professional who is willing to work for free on you then I would suggest that you should take her up on her offer. If it is OK with your aunt's proffesional organisation and OK with her own personal morals then I would suggest that you go ahead with it.

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Health is a state of physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity I am not a jigsaw, I am a free man !

Diagnosed under the DSM5 rules with autism spectrum disorder, under DSM4 psychologist said would have been AS (299.80) but I suspect that I am somewhere between 299.80 and 299.00 (Autism) under DSM4.

You're from the Birth Place of the Chicken Wing?

Anchor Bar?


Anyway. A close relative can have objectivity problems. An aunt may or may not be close enough to you to have this issue. A conflict of interest would imply that she gains something inappropriate from the relationship unrelated to the professional environment.

Another pitfall - what if she diagnoses something else? Will that bother you to the point where it effects your relations with her?

Free is huge. It's definitely worth considering.

I think that you should consider this. Put the money towards something that you want or need.