title: [Tuberculosis and refusal of treatment: resorting to legislation on serious health threats].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Clinicians are regularly confronted with the question of refusal of treatment from patients with tuberculosis. For several years, the French public health authorities have been studying the possibility of compelling treatment or isolation, but no plan has been implemented even though European and American experiences have shown the effectiveness of restrictive measures.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Neither the statutory exceptions to the principle of consent to medical treatment nor the conditions of implementation of "required care" allow legally binding measures against patients refusing care or isolation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The legislation on serious health threats has recently been applied to the situation of a refusal of treatment in the context of tuberculosis. It allowed the patient to be ordered to observe prescribed care and the possibility of forced isolation in the event of breach of this order.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The legislation on serious health threats is a response to the question of refusal of treatment from patients with tuberculosis. However the opinion of the legal authority as to its necessity and proportionality to the risk remains unknown.
authors.affiliation: Faculté de médecine, université de Rennes 1, 2, avenue du Professeur-Léon-Bernard, 35043 Rennes cedex, France. renaud.bouvet@chu-rennes.fr
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bouvet
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Le Gueut
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D007883:Legislation, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011634:Public Health / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016312:Treatment Refusal / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy* / Q000635:transmission
keywords: Acceptance of health care; Acceptation des soins; Cas juridiques; Isolement du patient; Legal cases; Legislation; Législation; Patient isolation; Tuberculose; Tuberculosis