MANDATORY HIV TESTING

1
MANDATORY HIV TESTING

• James G. Anderson, Ph.D.

2
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?

3
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)?

4
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

• Does adherence to universal precautions make the
  risks acceptable?
• Is the physicians livelihood a major
  consideration?
• Does informed consent require informing
  patients of the risk?