The Deliberate Infection

[Jazzy]

The Deliberate Infection:

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

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

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

Should Ken poison this man in order to prevent him from spreading HIV? (Please explain your answer)

 

[Nebulous]

Stop the murderer before he can murder. [/size]

Seems like what HAS to be done.

 

[+paradox]

just because he said it doesn't mean he will...

the doctor-patient confidentially is exempt if one threatens to cause harm or threatens a life and the doctor should call the authorities to make it known of said threat... murdering him is just as bad as his threat...

 

[Bluezone777]

There is no guarantee that his threat is real as he could easily just be making up outrageous statements for whatever demented reason he has. Regardless of whether he goes through with it or not, it's not your place to be judge, jury and executioner. If you kill him then you are killing an innocent man as the law does not see it the way this "Ken" might as the law sees a murderer not a savior of life. I would discourage his behavior and make it clear what I think of it but that's it.

 

[DrLeftover]

The oath does not cover that situation, neither does the HIPA standards.

The patient made a threat against other people's lives and had the means to carry it out, that is a serious enough crime to as require the doctor to report it to police.

When a patient presents at the ER with a bullet wound, or a child comes in that has been abused, if somebody comes in with 'the plague', the attending physician notifies the appropriate authorities. Same thing here.