[Ammi]

..you are a doctor and one of your patients, whom you have diagnosed as HIV positive, is about to receive a blood transfusion prior to being released from the hospital. The patient has told you, in the confidence of your doctor-patient relationship, that after he gets his transfusion, and his medicine from you, he intends to infect as many people as possible with HIV starting that evening...

Because you are bound by doctor-patient confidentiality, there is no legal way to stop this man from carrying out his plan. Even if you warned the police, they would not be able to arrest him, since his medical information is protected...

It occurs to you that you could contaminate his medication by putting an untraceable poison in it that will kill him before he gets a chance to infect others...

Would you poison this man in order to prevent him from spreading HIV..?..

[Marc]

I will tell the police.

[Z]

I wouldn't. As horrible as it would be for me to let a man go knowing that he would spread his disease, it is not my place to break doctor-patient confidentiality. Surely, though, if he was caught and prosecuted, I would have to speak in trial? Am I legally allowed to tell the police what I know once he has purposely spread the disease?

[Joelle.]

Surely in this situation, doctor-patient confidentiality should go out the window. I would tell the police and face the consequences of breaking it, rather than risk other people getting infected.

[AnnieK]

Ooh that's a tough one? Is there no loop hole in the doctor / patient confidentiality. What he is planning to do is tantamount to at least assault if not murder so surely there must be some allowance for this in order for you to break the oath and tell the police. Although I guess he has not done anything yet an there is nothing to say he will once he is released so the police wouldn't be able to do anything anyway.

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Zee

I wouldn't. As horrible as it would be for me to let a man go knowing that he would spread his disease, it is not my place to break doctor-patient confidentiality. Surely, though, if he was caught and prosecuted, I would have to speak in trial? Am I legally allowed to tell the police what I know once he has purposely spread the disease?

..I'm not sure but I don't think it would be allowed because of doctor/patient confidentiality...

[Z]

But then you're perverting the course of justice, surely? This is a very tricky question!

[joeysteele]

I think,if a patient is a great risk to themselves or to others, the Doctor would be able to be covered by informing some authority.
If a patient is threatening suicide for instance,then Doctors can alert the Police and they visit I understand to be sure things are stable and/or refer them to a Psychiatrist.

In this case, he would be free to discuss with colleagues the matter and that would be his best option, allowing the patient to go out and carry this out would be really bad for the Doctor if that came out he had known, also if he added any poison he would be in even worse trouble.

Telling an other and deciding what to do from that would be the best way for the Doctor to go and he would be likely supported I believe in that course of action in this instance too.
So if I was the Doctor in the scenario that is what I would certainly do.

[Vicky.]

I wouldnt do the transfusion/would kill him. This person is obviously an evil bastard and I would rather potentially save loads of other lives than save the life of someone like this

[Marc]

I'm sure you can hold the patient in the psych ward

[Kazanne]

Originally Posted by Ammi

..you are a doctor and one of your patients, whom you have diagnosed as HIV positive, is about to receive a blood transfusion prior to being released from the hospital. The patient has told you, in the confidence of your doctor-patient relationship, that after he gets his transfusion, and his medicine from you, he intends to infect as many people as possible with HIV starting that evening...

Because you are bound by doctor-patient confidentiality, there is no legal way to stop this man from carrying out his plan. Even if you warned the police, they would not be able to arrest him, since his medical information is protected...

It occurs to you that you could contaminate his medication by putting an untraceable poison in it that will kill him before he gets a chance to infect others...

Would you poison this man in order to prevent him from spreading HIV..?..

I'de cut his willy off ammiseriously,it's difficult,I'de tell the authorities I think.

You would probably have grounds to section the patient under the mental health act.

[Marc]

Originally Posted by Jesus.

You would probably have grounds to section the patient under the mental health act.

ER watcher right here..

Originally Posted by Marc

ER watcher right here..

Who's ex was a Mental health nurse.

[Vicky.]

Also I dont think doctor/patient confidentiality applies when theres a known risk to others?

My answer was assuming there was absolutely no other way besides letting him do it, and killing him

[Ammi]

..Vicky is right, I think the thing with a theoretical dilemma is that you're only provided with specific options..otherwise you would find a solution that fits in with your sense of morals, so it wouldn't be so much of a dilemma...

..I don't think I could kill another person in that situation, no matter how harsh that is..the only circumstances I think I could ever hurt anyone would be in a heat of the moment type thing if they were actively harming a member of my family or a child...

[Livia]

I would first try to convince the patient that what he was doing was wrong. If I wasn't able, and as I would have signed the Hypocratic Oath which binds me to save lives, I would tell the police. Doctor-Patient Confidentiality is overridden by Testimonial Compulsion... which I know only covers giving testimony in court, but I feel could be stretched to cover the doctor in this instance.

[Kizzy]

No dilemma, inform the authorities.

[Marc]

Originally Posted by Jesus.

Who's ex was a Mental health nurse.

was she herself mental? or was she in the mental ward as a nurse

[joeysteele]

Originally Posted by Livia

I would first try to convince the patient that what he was doing was wrong. If I wasn't able, and as I would have signed the Hypocratic Oath which binds me to save lives, I would tell the police. Doctor-Patient Confidentiality is overridden by Testimonial Compulsion... which I know only covers giving testimony in court, but I feel could be stretched to cover the doctor in this instance.

Wish I could have your art of saying so much so easily and briefly too.

Originally Posted by Marc

was she herself mental? or was she in the mental ward as a nurse

Considering the s**t she said to me afterwards - like wanting to set me on fire or run me over, I think the jury is definitely out on which side of the fence she belonged on.

[Marc]

Originally Posted by Jesus.

Considering the s**t she said to me afterwards - like wanting to set me on fire or run me over, I think the jury is definitely out on which side of the fence she belonged on.

Who brought fences into it.

[Z]

Originally Posted by Marc

Who brought fences into it.

My bad, I just really love gardening

[Mystic Mock]

Yes I would poison the man as losing one life is better than losing multiple, especially if the man is so horrible that he would want to spread the disease to other people.

[Withano]

Surely you can tell other doctors about peoples medical back grounds? A psychiatrist?