HIV And AIDS: Legal And Ethical Issues

Abstract

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, called as 'black death of our time'1 caused by human immunodeficiency virus still remaining a challenge to the medical world has spread its tentacles ominously that millions of people have breathed their last and others afflicted by it are counting days in great misery and despair for pre-mature extinction of their life.2 The tragedy is that it has spread from the high risk group to common population assuming a menacing proportion.3 It has not remained as a mere matter of health to bother only medical professionals. A person afflicted by it invites social stigma of a highest degree, which is worse than apartheid. It has generated such sensitive and boiling legal, ethical and social issues posing serious challenge to the medical professionals, health policy makers, law makers and common men. In this article an attempt is made to critically analyse the legal, ethical and social issues stemming from HIV\ AIDS.