AEGiS-07IAC: Information, medicine and ethics - new responses to the HIV epidemic.

7th International AIDS Conference


Florence, Italy — June 16-21, 1991

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Information, medicine and ethics - new responses to the HIV epidemic.

Int Conf AIDS 1991 Jun 16-21; 7:453 (abstract no. W.D.4261)
Aillot M, Le Bitoux J, Fontenay F, Mettetal JF, Edelmann F; ARCAT-SIDA/CIVIS

OBJECTIVE: The improvement of information about AIDS as the epidemic progresses.

METHODS: Detailed analysis of written and audiovisual information; computerisation of data; interviews.

RESULTS: The analysis reveals: 1) A marked reduction in serious errors. 2) Diminishing alarmism despite the spread of the epidemic. 3) A worrying of distortion of scientific, epidemiological and social data. These distortions can be caused by: a) sensationalism (the "need" to appeal to the public's imagination); b) generosity (e.g. the wish to help with fundraising); c) professional habits of simplification; d) the author's own psychological problems or inadvertence. The most serious distortions correspond to extremist political and religious positions and are based on mechanisms of exclusion. Others are due to insufficient evaluation of the effect of information on the public and on the political management of the problem. 4) A distinction to be made between medical and journalistic ethical codes concerning medical secrecy, the consequences of revealing information in the medical field, and the evaluation of the validity of scientific results. 5) A striking confusion between professional ethical codes, private ethics, and morality. For example, an attack on the inadequacy of government action in the name of morality which uses arguments contrary to medical ethics. These confusions are serious impediments to clear communication. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The rules of professional ethics governing the use of information should either be reinforced or supplemented to enable them to deal with crisis situation provoked by epidemics. It is essential to avoid any unwarranted comparison with war-time control of the press, but also to prevent panic suggesting this comparison to politicians.

Keywords: AEGIS, Disease Outbreaks, Medicine, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Ethics, Medical, Ethics, Professional, HIV Infections, Evaluation Studies, Clinical Trials, Teaching, methods, epidemiology, ICA7KWDaegis,diseaseoutbreaks,medicine,acquiredimmunodeficiencysyndrome,ethics,medical,ethics,professional,hivinfections,evaluationstudies,clinicaltrials,teaching,methods,epidemiology,ica7
910616
WD4261

Copyright © 1991 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.