Mandatory disclosure by healthcare workers of their HIV disclosure would not be a sensible move, according to the NZ AIDS Foundation. A Medical Council of New Zealand review is to decide whether doctors infected with HIV or other contagious diseases have to inform their patients. Existing guidelines advise that doctors do not have to let their patients know. NZAF executive director Rachael Le Mesurier backs the current guidelines. "We applaud the common sense in the medical council's current policy in not forcing mandatory screening or disclosure for health care workers," Ms Le Mesurier says. She believes that "common sense" will see the policy remain unchanged. Normal doctor-patient contact presents a very low risk of patients becoming infected with HIV but doctors who know or believe they are infected with a major transmissible virus must seek advice, which could include limiting their practice.
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Monday, 2nd February 2004 - 12:00pm