MEDICAL CONFIDENTIALITY AND PARTNER NOTIFICATION IN CASES OF SEXUALLY TRANSMISSIBLE INFECTIONS IN BELGIUM

Research has shown that HIV-positive patients sometimes refuse to take precautionary measures against sexual transmission as well as to notify their sexual partner(s) of their status. Faced with such a situation, physicians find themselves in a dilemma as they are forced to choose between honouring their duty of professional confidentiality and protecting their patients’ partner(s). Recent advice from the Belgian Medical Council (BMC) for the first time accepts that physicians can exceptionally, and under certain conditions, invoke necessity to breach confidentiality and inform usual and occas... Mehr ...