Ethical issues in HIV/AIDS infections.

BACKGROUND: Human relationships are guided by codes of ethics, written or otherwise. The reality and the place of universal standards of ethics may be argued but local variations and interpretations of these universal standards do occur.
METHOD: A search of some relevant articles on ethical issues on HIV/AIDS was undertaken through the medline and standard texts.
RESULTS: Unlike any other disease HIV/AIDS infection has resulted in large amount of legal/ethical commentaries. For the most parts of the world HIV/AIDS issues have produced metamorphosing legal/ethical issues notably, the concern about confidentiality of medical information, informed consent for medical procedures/HIV testing, discrimination/stigmatisation of people living with HIV/AIDS, partner notification, the right of the patient to refuse treatment and the way counselling should be done. Clinicians in developing countries have had to rely on self-regulations in making ethical judgements or at least attempt to conform to poorly enforced ethical standards in clinical practice established by their institutions.
CONCLUSION: Universally, recognized human rights standard should guide policy makers in formulating the direction and content of HIV related policy and should form an integral part of all aspects of national and local responses to HIV/AIDS. This paper therefore discusses ethical/legal issues presented by HIV/AIDS and how a variety of state, and federal laws and various institutions have attempted to address them.