A colleague's brother is a doctor with like two years experience in one of the general hospitals.He helped deliver a woman who already has two children.During the post delivery treatment,the curious husband asked why his wife required such.The doctor told the hubby that the woman needed all the treatment since she is HIV positive.The husband was shocked as he didint know her status.In fact,she has been positive before they got married but she decieved the husband with fake medical report which stated she was negative.The man left and never returned.The doctor defended his actions as he claimed her file clearly stated she has HIV before marriage which is over 5 yrs and has been on drugs so he thought the hubby knew her status. The question is; Was it ethical to have disclosed the woman's status to her husband and if not,What are the likely consequences of his action?

Oh crap that is one thing i would want honesty with. How do you go about asking that question? How do you know if they are telling the truth or not?

The doctor was right in telling that to her Husband, he has done nothing wrong..

Prey for that Husband, has not contracted HIV from her..

Its true,its not a new thing.Some similar cases are in the court already and the daily papers are awash with this case. But even if you dont know whether they are telling the truth;assuming its true,whats your thought

Whatever happened to the oath of secrecy and right of need to know?

I do not know a lot about the meds a Aids patient must take... but I do know it is a not just one pill. How did she hide that for 5 years?...your wife is taking a regiment of meds weekly or monthly and you never bother to say... why are you taking all those pills?.. you never inquire about it?.. look at the prescription bottles?

what about the check ups for the kids she had.. no mention of that.. were they infected?

Something doesn't sound right to me.

I agree, that was my first thought.

and yes your right, its more than just one pill, and also regular check ups, regular bloods, how would he not know.

Here, we are not in US.Unfortunately,we still have large number of illiterates still around.And these things happen daily,including AS genotype getting married to AS partner.

how about patient confidentiality?

The doctor is wrong. The doctor works for his patient.And there is the " doctor patient confidentiality"

MAJOR law suit

exactly.

Because your fellow woman is involved? lol.Women really love themselves!!! So even at the risk of the husband's life,what type of "doctor patient confidentiality" is that?

1- Health status is personal
2- And to tell or not tell is up to the person.
3-It is NOT the dortors decision to make.
4- In the USA is patient is given forms for' contact information:.. even ''emergency contact', is NOT full medical disclosure.
5- Medical status is for medical personal & anthing contagious is for the state or government to know, for spread & prevention & stats.

The moral issue is between the couple.
The husband could try to sue the wife.
The doctor made no apologies because he is NOT sorry for his actions. And probably had passed some kind of judgement on the woman. (rarely in Africa, do women contract aids because of promiscuity).
I don't believe the doctor assumed anything. If so, he is still wrong. And an apology is not enough. The doctor knew better.

I think k the doctor should be sued & maybe his ' career' destroyed.
After all, look at the destruction he has caused& the domino effect.

no, I made the point about patient confidentiality before sassy. so that comment was uncalled for. however.....

even at the husbands risk, the doctor still cant say by law, unless she gives him permission.

I don't agree with this, ive worked with lots of hiv/aids patients and saw how they passed it to another, very sad.

Uh, it is difficult to answer the second question without knowing the pertinent laws in the nation where the doctor lives.

It is possible that the doctor assumed that the husband already knew about his wife's HIV.

Here in the U.S. There are forms you sign as to whom can be given information of a medical nature. I don't know what it's like for all other countries. If she signed a form of this type, allowing her husband to receive that information during her most recent hospitalization, then her confidentiality rights went out the door along with the husband! Many years ago here, neglecting to reveal an AIDS condition was being considered as a crime similar to "assault with a deadly weapon", as it was considered a sure death sentence for the other party. I don't believe it is the case now, but if he stood anything to gain from it, the husband could also sue the wife for not providing full disclosure of such an important issue. JMHO

I understand what you are saying but I have to disagree....it was the wife who started the domino effect by not giving full disclosure of her condition to the husband. The doctor was dealing with the effects of her unwillingness to be honest and up front in the first place. Again, JMHO

True, we don't know the law there.
But assuming is STILL wrong.

Myself- while I was married. I had 2 different doctors call my husband in from the waiting room, while do the "Doctor patient post examination / testing consultation"
Without ASKING me. I was livid both times, told the doctor off , had my husband leave the room.

And this was for my heart.
But it was MY decision.
Not the doctors.
Not my husbands
My mothers
Or any one else.

It was a breech of confidentiality

It seems to me that the father has a right to know about anything that could affect his baby's health.