Patient Rights in Iceland (2026 Legal Guide) — Rules & Requirements
About this article
Sourced from Icelandic Acts of the Althingi, statutory instruments, and official guidance. Written in plain language for general understanding — this is educational content, not legal advice. Our editorial standards
What is this right?
The Patients' Rights Act guarantees fundamental rights to everyone receiving healthcare in Iceland:
- Informed consent: You have the right to decide whether you accept or refuse treatment.
- Right to information: You are entitled to information about your health, prognosis and proposed treatment.
- Right to choose a provider: You may choose a provider within the framework of the system.
- Recording: If you decline information or appoint a representative, it must be recorded in your medical record.
- Privacy: Your health information is confidential and may only be shared with your consent or as required by law.
When does it apply?
- You receive any form of healthcare in Iceland — primary care, hospital care, specialist care or mental-health care.
What to do if your patient rights are violated in Iceland
- Ask questions — the provider has a legal duty to inform you about your condition and treatment options.
- You may appoint another person to receive information on your behalf.
- If your rights are violated, file a complaint with Embætti landlæknis (the Directorate of Health).
What should you NOT do?
- Don't consent to treatment you do not understand — ask for a clear explanation or an interpreter.
- Don't assume your health information can be shared freely — it requires your consent.
About Healthcare Rights in Iceland
Healthcare in Iceland is universal and tax-funded, covering all legal residents under Lög um heilbrigðisþjónustu (the Health Services Act, Lög nr. 40/2007) and Lög um sjúkratryggingar (the Health Insurance Act, Lög nr. 112/2008), with Sjúkratryggingar Íslands (Icelandic Health Insurance) the sole public purchaser nationwide. You pay a co-payment for GP visits, specialist visits and prescriptions. Your patient rights — informed consent, access to your medical record, confidentiality, a second opinion and the right to refuse treatment — fall under Lög um réttindi sjúklinga (the Patients' Rights Act, Lög nr. 74/1997). Complaints about a doctor go to Embætti landlæknis (the Directorate of Health). Visitors from the EEA are covered by an EHIC card.
Common Questions
What patient rights do I have in Iceland?
Under the Patients' Rights Act (Lög nr. 74/1997) you have the right to informed consent, the right to information about your health and proposed treatment, the right to choose a provider within the system, and the right to refuse treatment. Your health information is confidential and may only be shared with your consent or as required by law.
Can I refuse medical treatment in Iceland?
Yes. Informed consent means you have the right to decide whether you accept or refuse treatment. You may also appoint another person to receive information on your behalf. If you decline information or appoint a representative, it must be recorded in your medical record. Ask questions — the provider has a legal duty to inform you about your condition and options.
Where do I report a violation of patient rights in Iceland?
File a complaint with Embætti landlæknis (the Directorate of Health). Don't consent to treatment you do not understand — ask for a clear explanation or an interpreter. Your health information cannot be shared freely; sharing requires your consent. The Patients' Rights Act protects your right to self-determination in primary, hospital, specialist and mental-health care.
What is the patient rights right in Iceland?
The Patients' Rights Act guarantees fundamental rights to everyone receiving healthcare in Iceland:Informed consent: You have the right to decide whether you accept or refuse treatment.Right to information: You are entitled to information about your health, prognosis and proposed treatment.Right to choose a provider: You may choose a provider within the framework of the system.Recording: If you decline information or appoint a representative, it must be recorded in your medical record.Privacy: Your health information is confidential and may only be shared with your consent or as required by...
When does it apply — patient rights?
You receive any form of healthcare in Iceland — primary care, hospital care, specialist care or mental-health care.
What should I do if my doctor did not get my informed consent or shared my health information without permission in Iceland?
Ask questions — the provider has a legal duty to inform you about your condition and treatment options.You may appoint another person to receive information on your behalf.If your rights are violated, file a complaint with Embætti landlæknis (the Directorate of Health).
What should you NOT do — patient rights?
Don't consent to treatment you do not understand — ask for a clear explanation or an interpreter.Don't assume your health information can be shared freely — it requires your consent.