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Syllabi: AIDS: The Interrelationship of Its Associated Legal and Medical Issues
INSTITUTION: Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine
PRESENTERS: C. William Keck, M.D., M.P.H., Director of the Division of Community Health Sciences, and William Rich, J.D., LL.M., Assistant Professor of Law, The University of Akron, and guest presenters
PROGRAM DIRECTOR: Martin Kohn, Ph.D., Director of the Human Values in Medicine Program (email: mfk@neoucom.EDU)
ENROLLMENT: BS/MD; selective; limit: 10 medical and 10 law students
SEMESTER: Winter 2000
January 27, February 3, 10, 17 (Thursday evenings 6:30-9:30 p.m.)
LEARNING GOALS: The spread of infection by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) has caused great public and professional concern in the United States and elsewhere. The Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and other clinical conditions associated with infection by HIV are severe, often fatal, and costly to care for. Enough is known about the manner of spread of the virus that prevention of transmission is possible, however.
The major risk groups for infection are homosexual and bisexual men, intravenous drug abusers, and the sexual partners of those at risk for infection. Blood tests are available to identify those who have been infected.
The mixture of public fear and concern, high medical costs associated with illness, the involvement of groups often discriminated against in this society, the role of sexual activity in the spread of the virus, and many documented efforts to discriminate against those known to be infected, has led to a complex web of societal, legal and medical issues that have hampered disease control efforts. This seminar will explore these issues in some detail and allow the participant to grapple with many of the dilemmas remaining in this evolving and difficult arena.
METHOD OF INSTRUCTION: Lecture/discussion, case studies
OUTLINE:
Week 1 (January 27) HIV Testing and Diagnosis - Medical Issues
Speaker - Dr. Ronald K. St. John
Topics covered will include:
1. basic epidemiology of HIV infection.
2. high risk groups and their prevalence of infection.
3. serologic tests for HIV antibody - including sensitivity and specificity
of available tests and their validity in varying circumstances.
4. reasons for testing and the need for associated counseling.
Week 2 (February 3) HIV Testing and Diagnosis - Legal Issues
Speaker - William Rich
Topics covered will include:
1. informed consent.
2. confidentiality.
3. the meaning and implications of anonymous, voluntary and mandatory
testing.
4. discrimination issues.
5. requirements for reporting.
Week 3 (February 10) Prevention of HIV Infection
Speaker - Dr. Thomas Halpin< BR> Topics covered will include:
1. the development of public, school and workplace policy.
2. education of the general public, high risk groups and health care
providers.
3. accessibility of condoms, spermicides and disposable needles.
Week 4 (February 17) Response to Infection and Disease
Panel - HIV infected person
gay community representative
physician caring for HIV infected patients
Topics covered will include:
1. impact of the infection on those infected.
2. What are the costs, who pays, who should pay?
3. extended care for ill patients - Is the hospice model appropriate?
4. therapy - standard and experimental; informed consent and cost.
REQUIREMENTS: Active participation and other assignments to be announced.
HVM Credits: 3