title: Consent, confidentiality and curing sexually transmitted infection: an ethical trilemma.
abstract: When treating contacts of patients with sexually transmitted infections (STIs), health professionals may face conflicting ethical imperatives. We surveyed middle grade doctors in genitourinary (GU) medicine and asked how they would manage a hypothetical clinical scenario. This was analysed on the basis of principles of respect for autonomy and beneficence/non-maleficence to assess how they weigh up duties of informed consent (autonomy of patient), partner confidentiality (autonomy of partner) and the need to achieve a good medical outcome. Responses indicated that the strategies that they employ in practice - what they actually say to patients (and what they leave unsaid) - balance the conflicting requirements of these ethical principles in quite different ways, some of which appear ethically problematic.
authors.affiliation: West Hertfordshire Sexual Health Directorate, West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust, Watford Sexual Health Centre, Watford General Hospital, Watford, UK. kilian.dunphy@whht.nhs.uk
authors.forename: K P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Dunphy
mesh_terms: D003219:Confidentiality / Q000941:ethics*; D016358:Contact Tracing / Q000941:ethics*; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent / Q000941:ethics*; D008297:Male; D010820:Physicians; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires