When HIV Stigma and Conscientious Objection Collide

Medscape ^ | August 4, 2022 | Liz Scherer

[fwdude]

A quiet academic debate over a physician's right to refuse specific healthcare services on the basis of moral or ethical objections or religious beliefs is spilling over into the HIV arena in some states, pitting some patients requesting preventive medication (preexposure prophylaxis or PrEP) against legislators and lawyers.

The concept of conscientious objection or refusal in healthcare is not new; even the American Medical Association (AMA) supports the rights of physicians to act in accordance with conscience. But its application beyond what was once mostly under the aegis of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops into unchartered territory has some experts understandably worried.

[fwdude]

A month-old article, but still highly relevant as Texas is currently looking into forbidding the enabling of highly harmful behavior through subsidizing PrEP.

The old axiom is more and more coming true: "That which isn't prohibit shall be mandatory."

[Gay State Conservative]

During the 80s I worked (as an administrator) in a big city ER. We saw many,many,many AIDS patients,many of whom died in our ER. I once had a very spirited debate with one of our nurses on the subject of notification of HIV infection. I stated that health care personnel have a right to know if a particular patient is positive (if that's been established) and that patients have the right to know if a particular physician/nurse is positive. He insisted that no such rights exist.

We never agreed on the subject...even after one of our nurses contracted both HIV *and* Hep C from a needle stick during a code.

[fwdude]

Wow! thanks for relating that account.

Isn’t is scary how a disease has developed its own ‘civil rights’ at the expense of others?

[Boogieman]

Physicians are required to treat the sick. I don’t think they are required to help people engage in behavior that will probably make them sick.

[fwdude]

I don’t think they are required to help people engage in behavior that will probably make them sick.

I know one of the retorts from the left is smokers. But I don't even think doctors should be forced to treat an incorrigible smoker for smoking related pathologies. That's like beating your head against a wall and expecting it to feel good.

[T. Rustin Noone]

I was just going to ask if your friend held the same attitude toward Hep-C, smallpox, bubonic plague, the ebola virus? If my behavior brings me into contact with someone carrying a potentially fatal disease, I damn well want to know it ahead of time.

[bk1000]

I don’t know why there would be a stigma. I thought they were so proud of being queer.

[NetAddicted]

Texas is looking into forbidding the enabling of harmful behavior, or are they looking to recognize religious freedom for people who don’t want to prescribe meds for homosexual behavior?