The duty to warn extends past psychiatric encounters. Several
states permit, and sometime require, state officials or physicians to
warn partners of clients infected with a sexually transmitted disease.
In the state of Alaska, for example, physicians and public health
officials are required to report cases of infectious diseases to the
State, including individuals who are HIV+. Reports contain the personal
information of the individual infected. If partner notification
procedures are used, however, they are done confidentially. Health care
workers cannot mention the name of the infected party; only that the
partner has had contact with someone infected with the disease.
a. In your view, do such reports break the confidentiality of patient information or change the doctor-patient relationship?
b.Given the readings for this week, do you find the moral basis (e.g.,Kantianism, utilitarianism, contractarianism, feminist ethics of care)behind the requirement to warn in AK defensible? Explain briefly,especially if you happen to be someone whose private or sensitiveinformation must be disclosed.