SIDA: Aspectos sociales, juridicos y eticos de la Tercera epidemia / AIDS: Social, legal, and ethical issues of the Third epidemic

RESUMO

Considering the "first two" AIDS epidemics to be the spread of HIV infection and subsequent development of AIDS symptoms, then what has been termed the "Third epidemic" is the widespread economic, social, and cultural reaction to the disease. This reaction raises crucial social, humanitarian, and legal issues that threaten to seriously strain society's fundamental fabric of tolerance and understanding. This article describes various approaches and considerations ralating to those issues. Specifically, the article deals with the following four questions (1) what is the best public health approach to people with HIV/AIDS and what rights should they have? (2) who should be given mandatory testing? (3) Who has a right to know if someone has HIV/AIDS, and should anyone be warned? and (4) how can society be protected aginst people who irresponsibly, perhaps even deliberately, set out to infect others? In essence, the best available answer regarding the rights and treatment of HIV/AIDS patients is that they should be allowed to live normal lives to the extent their health permits. Discrimination and stigmatization will hurt rather than help the general public as well as those infected-because it will prevent those who are or think that may be infected from coming forward for testing and couseling. As to who should be subjected to mandatory testing, it appears that the spread of HIV and AIDS cannot