Malavade JA, Shah SR, Shah JJ, Shah RM; International Conference on AIDS.
Int Conf AIDS. 2002 Jul 7-12; 14: abstract no. ThPeE7902.
Rotary club of Bombay north west, Mumbai, India
ISSUE: While on one hand, rising ethical and legal issues in HIV/AIDS counseling and testing at times creates stressful situations for PLWH, and health care workers, on other hand negligence towards consent and confidentiality often by the health care professionals, public etc. raises social, legal and ethical issues. DESCRIPTION: In this particular presentation we are trying to raise some of the issues like disclosing + ve status of clients to the relatives/spouse which may harm the interest of the client or the sufferer of HIV. At times we have come across pressure technique applied by company authorities, immigration authorities and close relatives to test the clients against their wishes. Surprisingly more than 95% of patients going for surgical procedures are involuntarily tested for HIV, resulting in cancellation of the needed treatment if tested +Ve. It seems from our results that majority in medical profession hasn't understood the difference between mandatory offering and mandatory testing particularly for MTCT prevention. In some cases we have noticed that non-discloser of the status put the spouse at the risk of HIV infection. The debate here will be more towards the pros and cones of partial disclosure, relative disclosure and consented disclosure of status. LESSONS LEARNED: The right to disclose HIV status to nearest relative should entirely be of the clients, however in the situation of community and partner at risk the status should be disclosed after consultation and counseling of the client. Present legal and ethical provisions appear absolutely inadequate to tackle the social, and other problems arising out of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. RECOMMENDATION: A legal law needs to be set in so that the mutual interest of the patient, society and health care workers is not compromised. All in the field of HIV/AIDS need better training on ethics and legal law.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
- Confidentiality
- Counseling
- Disclosure
- HIV Infections
- HIV Seropositivity
- Health Personnel
- Humans
- Legislation
- Mandatory Testing
- Research Design
Other ID:
UI: 102250984
From Meeting Abstracts