Transcript MANDATORY HIV TESTING

MANDATORY HIV TESTING
James G. Anderson, Ph.D.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
• What are the arguments for and against
mandatory testing of health care workers?
• What are the arguments for and against
mandatory testing of patients?
• How can we balance the rights of health
care workers and patients to privacy and
confidentiality?
• How do we minimize the possibility of
financial harm to health care workers and
patients?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
• Is the risk of HIV infection great enough to
warrant action compared to other risks in
the health care setting?
• Are there other risks that healthcare workers
take with their patients that might cause
harm? Do patients have a right to know
about them?
• Do patients have a right to know about
impaired health care workers (e.g.,
alcoholics, drug addicts, etc)?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
• Does adherence to universal precautions
make the risks acceptable?
• Is the physician’s livelihood a major
consideration?
• Does “informed consent” require informing
patients of the risk?