HIV-TESTING OF HEALTH-CARE WORKERS - UNETHICAL REQUEST OR MORAL OBLIGATION

Transmission of HIV from physician to patient is possible. Physicians should help the public understand the low level of this risk and put i t in the perspective of other medical risks, while acknowledging publi c concern. Nevertheless, there is a clear need for national guidelines which give unambiguous, practicable guidance about HIV-testing of hea lth care workers performing invasive procedures and consequences of po sitive results. It is an ethical obligation of us physicians to come f orward with such distinct recommendations and clearly have identified ''exposure-prone'' procedures which might necessitate HIV-screening. I nfection with HIV does not in itself justify restrictions on the pract ice of an otherwise competent health care worker, but seropositive phy sicians should place themselves under the guidance of an expert review panel, which should determine whether practice restrictions are appro priate.