Ethics and Law in the Study of AIDS

Analyzes the ethical and legal issues created by the epidemic of AIDS and HIV-infection. The 25 papers assembled in this book cover a variety of issues, ranging from the management of confidentiality to the mandatory testing of immigrants, that influence the way society responds to AIDS and thus determine the success of policies aimed at prevention and control. Regardless of topic, all papers share a human rights approach that affirms the patient’s right to dignity and protection against discrimination. Divided into four main parts this book looks at the epidemiology of the disease, summarizing the status of internatinal legislation on AIDS, and including an 80-page comparative analysis of AIDS legislation enacted in the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. The second section focuses on ethical issues, while the third looks at the implications for public health policy and the final looks at perceptions of AIDS from the viewpoint of the patient, the physician and nursing personnel.