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John B. Clark, Jr, MD
Charlotte, NC

JAMA. 1988;259(9):1325.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

To the Editor.

—As public awareness of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) reaches higher levels, we as physicians are being called on through increasing numbers of articles and editorials^1-4 to stand bravely in the face of this disease and to uphold our oath to treat patients regardless of personal risk. Descriptions of the American response to AIDS include terms such as "hysteria" and "irrational fear," and we are told that physicians are behaving less than admirably. While I believe we have an ethical obligation to treat patients with AIDS, let us not view it through rose-colored glasses. Dr Dan³

See also p 1357. suggests that the chance of infection is "slight," and that the risk is "minuscule." I hope he is correct in these statements, but I suggest it may be too early to know. Researchers have been studying the natural history of hepatitis B since 1956 and continue . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

Footnotes
Edited by Drummond Rennie, MD, Senior Contributing Editor; Sharon Iverson, Assistant Editor.

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