Concept of Discrimination and the Treatment of People With AIDS (From The Meaning of AIDS: Implications for Medical Science, Clinical Practice, and Public Health Policy, P 129-139, 1989, Eric T Juengst and Barbara A Koenig, eds. -- NCJ-123590)

• NCJ Number: 123601
• Author(s): C A Tauer
• Date Published: 1989
• Length: 11 pages
• Sale Source: Praeger Publishers
• Publication Type: Legislation/Policy Analysis
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

After determining that the concept of discrimination has limited value for analyzing the ethical issues in the AIDS debate, this chapter reorients the discussion in terms of the concepts of autonomy and paternalism, concluding with a discussion of society's legitimate interests in establishing measures to control the spread of AIDS.

Abstract

One concept of avoiding discrimination is to treat people in similar circumstances equally. In the case of managing contagious diseases, this would mean that persons with similar contagious diseases would be treated the same. This concept of discrimination is flawed, however, since historical analysis shows that the past treatment of carriers of contagious diseases has been ethically questionable. Another concept of avoiding discrimination is that all persons must be treated equally in certain fundamental respects. Few rights are absolute, however; e.g., a person does not have the right to behave in a way that endangers the life of another. An ethic for the management of AIDS must balance the concern for individual autonomy with a concern for the common good. Both concerns can be expressed in mounting a national program of AIDS education designed to prevent its spread and in establishing measures to ensure the confidential use of the AIDS antibody test. 27 notes.