Patients' rights NGOs convince Electric Castle to change the festival's policy

The organizers of the Electric Castle music festival have dropped one of their entry conditions, whereby festival goers could only carry medicine if they presented a prescription alongside it after several NGOs warned that this violates patients' right to privacy.

The rule, which has now been dropped, stated that attendees would only be allowed to bring medicine if they could supply a doctor's prescription on entry to the festival, and they would only be allowed to carry the quantity needed to last the festival period.

Libertatea reports that the rule prompted several activists to complain to the organisers, on the grounds that it was a violation of patient rights and could lead to the stigmatization of certain patients.

"Electric Castle, what do we do with my patients who are living with HIV, have paid a lot of money for a ticket, and are now forced to reveal their diagnosis, which is already stigmatised in Romania, to the festival organizers? They have the right to the confidentiality of their diagnosis, as do other patients,” wrote HIV rights activist and member of the European AIDS Treatment Group, Alina Dumitriu on her Facebook page.

According to Libertatea, several people responded to the activists’ post, writing that they suffer from various conditions that require long-term daily treatment and that the rule would prevent them from participating in the festival for the entire 5 days.

Although initially, the festival organizers said they could do nothing to change the rule, eventually, following a large number of complaints, they did.

On July 13, the first day of the festival, the organizers posted the changed rule on the Electric Castle Facebook page:

"You may bring the medications your doctor has recommended in their original packaging. We advise you not to bring more than you need for the duration of the festival. No proof of prescription is required.”

The Electric Castle festival takes place at the Banffy Castle in Bonțida, near Cluj, between July 13 and July 17.

(Photo source: Inquam Photos | Melinda Nagy)