title: Duties, fears and physicians.
abstract: This article deals with the physician's fear of contagion using AIDS as a paradigm. It deals with this in four ways: it examines the concepts of duty, fear and courage in their medical setting; it deals with the historical aspects of the problem; it analyzes the role of social contract and professionalism; and it develops a viewpoint of the physician's obligation based on these considerations and predicated on a view of professionalism and social contract.
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000523:psychology*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D032982:Contracts; D005239:Fear; D006801:Humans; D028681:Moral Obligations; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000523:psychology*; D010819:Physician's Role; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012941:Social Responsibility; D012945:Social Values; D028722:Virtues