§ 26:4-41 — Contents of reports secret; exceptions

No person shall disclose the name or address or the identity of any person known or suspected to have a venereal disease except to the person's physician or to a health authority, or, in the event of a prosecution under this article or under the criminal law of this State, to a prosecuting officer or to the court; provided, however, that the person's physician or a health authority may disclose the name, address or identity of such person when and only when the physician or health authority shall deem such disclosure necessary in order to protect the health or welfare of the person or of his family or of the public; and provided further, that nothing herein shall be construed as in any way restricting such disclosures to the State Department of Health. Documents, records or reports which contain or would reveal the name, address or identity of a person known or suspected to have a venereal disease or treated for such a disease shall not be open to inspection except by an authorized representative of the State Department of Health or, in the event of a prosecution under this article or under the criminal laws of this State, by a prosecuting officer or the court; provided, however, that the custodian of any such documents, records or reports may permit inspection of them by a licensed physician or a health official whenever said custodian shall deem such inspection necessary in order to protect the health or welfare of the person or of his family or of the public and the custodian of any hospital record shall permit examination of such record in connection with any claim for compensation or damages for personal injury or death resulting therefrom by any person authorized by any other law to make such examination. Amended by L.1945, c. 103, p. 446, s. 1; L.1952, c. 78, p. 409, s. 1.