Posthumous HIV Disclosure and Relational Rupture

Laura K Guidry-Grimes; D Micah Hester

Posthumous HIV Disclosure and Relational Rupture

J Clin Ethics. 2018 Fall;29(3):196-200.

Authors

Laura K Guidry-Grimes¹, D Micah Hester²

Affiliations

¹ Medical Humanities and Bioethics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, and Arkansas Children's Hospital, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA. LGuidryGrimes@uams.edu.
² Department of Medical Humanities and Bioethics, and Department of Medical Humanities and Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, and Arkansas Children's Hospital, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA.

PMID: 30226820

Abstract

In response to Anne L. Dalle Ave and David M. Shaw, we agree with their general argument but emphasize a moral risk of HIV disclosure in deceased donation cases: the risk of relational rupture. Because of the importance that close relationships have to our sense of self and our life plans, this kind of rupture can have long-ranging implications for surviving loved ones. Moreover, the now-deceased individual cannot participate in any relational mending. Our analysis reveals the hefty moral costs that disclosure can bring, which should influence what information is given to would-be donors and how organ procurement coordinators approach these conversations.

MeSH terms

Confidentiality / ethics*
Death
Disclosure / ethics*
Duty to Warn / ethics*
HIV Infections / diagnosis*
Humans
Interpersonal Relations*
Tissue Donors*