Should it be considered unethical for health professionals to tell the partners of incurable STDs/AIDs?

Answer 1

It is considered unethical-everyone that answered is right. But we do pressure patients into telling us who they had sex with because it is important to tell the others they have it. It is never released who actually said anything, but is done to prevent the spread. We contact the health department and the health department contacts them. What is really unethical is NOT telling the partner of the disease.

Answer 2

No I dont think that it should be unethical for a health professional to disclose that kind of information to your partner, Its their right to know.Just as it would be your right. In many states the Department of Health and other health professions cannot disclose the name of the infected person due to violating privacy rights. They can only inform partners or past partners that they may have been exposed and recommend they be tested. The only way it would be unethical is if your doctor called your partner without your permission and told them you had an incurable std/aids. Unless you where being reckless for the human life and was knowingly spreading the disease , Then I think they would and should have the right to tell.

Answer 3

it depends what the term unethical means-unethical in terms of your average joe bloggs opinion or unethical in terms of the law. certainly, in terms of the law the health professional has a 'duty of care' towards the patient and confidentiality laws don't allow this to be broken. however, it is questionable as to whether the health professional also may have a 'duty of care' towards the partner although, by law they are not able to divulge any information to the partner (even in the instance of incurable STD's/AIDs).

Therefore, by law it can be said that yes, it is unethical for health professionals to tell the partners of people with incurable STDs/AIDs without their permission.

Answer 4

In general it is considered absolute professional misconduct and breach of confidentiality to give information regarding the patient to anyone. In many hospitals this is grounds for dismissal; and can lead to law suits.
However in the case of sexually transmitted diseases the same rules do not always apply. In many areas health professionals are legally bound to report STD's to the local health department. Tracking is then performed to discover the names of sexual partners, and their sexual partners and so on. Those people are then informed that they have been in contact with an STD.
I am not sure if it would be considered ethically appropriate for a doctor to ignore the fact that a second party may be infected.
Health professionals are also legally bound to report child abuse and neglect and other forms of abuse.
You would have to contact one of the regulatory bodies to get a firm answer.

Answer 5

Health professionals are basically not supposed to tell anyone else about someones condition without the permission of the other party. They might be required to report to the authorities though. For example if someone reports with sexual abuse they are required to report the incident to the local autorities.

This is called the patients bill of rights.

Answer 6

I don't know about unethical...I would want to know..if my partner wasn't being honest with me and putting my health at risk someone had better tell me. I think it is more unethical to hide it from someone.

Answer 7

it is actually illigal, a patients health information is private unless a release is signed or the patient tells someone other than a health care professional. even if they are married a husband's and wife's medical information is still private from each other

Answer 8

Yes, for should they think privacy is more important then even more people shall find themselves with these STDs and AIDs. Better to embarrass and shame one rather than sentence many to suffer.

Answer 9

So they'll get real sick and not know why or die and not know?? Yeah, makes sense....words *drip*, *drip*, *dripping* in sarcasm.

The reality is just this though. Docs can't release information about you to lay persons and not to other professionals without consent by you. Not sure where you live, but this is the way things fly in Canada, anyhow.

Answer 10

yes it should be considered unethical