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Screening for HIV Infection: Risks, Benefits, and the Burden of Proof

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 April 2021

Michael J. Barry ,
Paul D. Cleary  and
Harvey V. Fineberg
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Extract

In 1984, scientists isolated a new pathogen, now called human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), that is almost certainly the etiological agent for the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It has been estimated that there are between 500,000 and 1,750,000 asymptomatic, chronically HIV-infected individuals in the United States. In a remarkably short time, investigators developed a number of blood tests that indicate whether an individual is likely to be infected with this virus. These assays are now being used to test patients with symptoms suggesting AIDS or related syndromes, to screen donated blood, to evaluate individuals concerned about their infection status, and to screen new military recruits, active-duty soldiers, and ROTC students. Almost weekly, new proposals are advanced for screening different subsets of the population.

Type
Article
Information
Law, Medicine and Healthcare , Volume 14 , Issue 5-6 , December 1986 , pp. 259 - 267
Copyright
Copyright © American Society of Law, Medicine and Ethics 1986

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