Warning third parties at risk of AIDS: APA's policy is a barrier to treatment.
The American Psychiatric Association has adopted a policy stating that psychiatrists may warn third parties who are placed at risk by the behavior of a patient infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The author argues that although the policy appears reasonable and has well-established precedent, the public will ultimately be better served if HIV-infected patients are assured absolute confidentiality. He contends that the Tarasoff decision is not directly applicable to most HIV-infected patients, that education alone will not be sufficient to deter some infected patients from placing others at risk, that additional psychiatric interventions will be necessary to reduce the high-risk behaviors of those individuals, and that APA's policy will prevent many from seeking treatment.
Perry
S
S
Consultation-Liaison Service, New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, New York 10021.
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003219:Confidentiality / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards*; D003617:Dangerous Behavior; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D006801:Humans; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000592:standards*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012955:Societies, Medical; D014342:Truth Disclosure; D014481:United States; D014754:Violence