Confidentiality of the medical records of HIV-positive patients in the United Kingdom – a medicolegal and ethical perspective

Abstract

Mike WilliamsHead of Service, Cambridge University Dental Service, Cambridge, UKAbstract: This article examines the legal and ethical issues that surround the confidentiality of medical records, particularly in relation to patients who are HIV positive. It records some historical background of the HIV epidemic, and considers the relative risks of transmission of HIV from individual to individual. It explains the law as it pertains to confidentiality, and reports the professional guidance in these matters. It then considers how these relate to HIV-positive individuals in particular.Keywords: HIV/AIDS, confidentiality, medical records