If an MD is HIV+ can he/she still treat patients?!

Yes, they can still practice in any area. There are laws protecting individuals with AIDS/HIV from being denied employment because of this as long as proper precautions are taken. No employer, even in the health field, can require you to tell them that you are HIV+ and the only time you may disclose information about your health to an employer is when a condition may hinder your abilities as determined by your physician. In the health field we all practice standard precautions, assuming any bodily fluid could be infectious, whether it be ours or a patients, to prevent the spread of all diseases including HIV/AIDS.Health Question & Answer

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Yes, they can. I am currently taking a class in Medical Law and we just went over this. It is illegal to fire anyone with a disability. HIV is considered a disability by the American Disability Act. Because technically the Definition of a disability is anything that effects a major part of your life. HIV would do that. A medical doctor can still treat patients because HIV CANNOT be contracted through skin to skin contact. Health Question & Answer

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I would imagine in many specialties they could. I wouldn't see why a GP wouldn't be able to considering nurses always take blood work and so forth.

A surgeon on the other hand, would probably be too high risk for obvious reasons.

also, from a legal standpoint, I don't know whether or not they would be required to disclose it to their patients.? Anyone.?Health Question & Answer

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....Yes, an MD who is HIV positive can treat patients. Surgeons probably not, because of the high risk. And, I don't believe there is a legal or ethical mandate to disclose to patients that you are "positive". That's up to the physician.Health Question & Answer

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of course, why wouldn't.?Health Question & Answer

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