The HIV Epidemic

Part I of Essay
has posed two powerful, and conflicting, legal and ethical obligations. The first obligation is to respect the privacy of persons with HIV infection. The threat of stigma and discrimination has had a profound impact on the extent to which persons living with HIV/AIDS have ....

Part II of Essay
.... Consider the case of Jennifer Lawson, decided by an appellate court in California. The day after 12-year-old Jennifer received a transfusion, her doctor discovered that the blood was contaminated with HIV. Jennifer, however, was never informed. Three years later, Jennifer began dating Daniel Reesner, and she still was unaware of her infection. Later she was diagnosed with AIDS and died 1 month after the diagnosis. After learning of his girlfriend's death, Daniel tested positive for HIV. Did the physician have an obligation to inform ....