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infect his patients or become infected himself. Nevertheless, the pa- 12
tient is obligated to inform the physician. In our clinic we explain the
importance of this to the virus carriers (HIV positive), and the ma-
jority do notify the dentist of their status. If the treating physician of
an HIV positive patient finds out that he is being treated by a dentist
who has not been told of his HIV status, he is permitted to notify PUBLICIZING A SINNER
the dentist, even without the patient’s consent. On the other hand, if WHO HAS CONTRACTED A
we do not know which dentist is treating him, there is no instruction 65 CONTAGIOUS DISEASE
to notify the police. As far as I know, this is also the opinion of the
Ministry of Health.

Dr. Yisrael Just,
Director of Dept. of Internal Medicine, 1 Questions
AIDS Center, Ichilov Hospital, Tel Aviv
A doctor discovered that his young hemophilic patient is a carrier
Regarding the chances of a woman becoming infected if she marries a of AIDS. Talking to him, the physician learned that he is about to
man with AIDS, we do not advise a young girl to marry a man who is marry a woman but does not intend to tell her about his illness. In
HIV positive because of the danger of contagion and the possibility our days, since there is no known cure for for this disease, the woman
of transferring the AIDS virus to her baby if she becomes pregnant would become infected and her life endangered. What is the physi-
(after she was infected). cian to do?
Prof. Uriel Martinowitz, (Director of the Hemophilia Center at Is he obligated to tell the woman about this?
the Sheba Medical Center in Israel) added that one should explain What if he had told her, but she had nevertheless consented to
to the woman that if her husband dies, her chances of remarrying are marry him? Would the Rav be permitted to officiate at the wedding?
almost nil. Who, in his right mind, would marry a woman who lived Would the physician be obligated to tell the Rav about this?
with a man who had AIDS?
If the patient needs dental work and he intends to hide his illness
Professional literature says that if a woman observes the Jewish from the dentist, is the physician obligated to tell the dentist?
laws of family purity, the danger of contracting her husband’s disease
is much lower. The medical literature also states that circumcised Two young men came to my clinic and told me that their grand-
men are less likely to transmit HIV than uncircumcised men. father is a diabetic who requires large syringes and needles. It was
clear to me that they wanted to purchase this medical equipment in
In the scientific world, it has become popular to vaccinate people order to use illegal drugs. The dilemma in this case is that if I do not
at high risk of contracting HIV. The wife of an AIDS patient could give them the supplies, they will attain them by stealing or break-
probably also receive a vaccine to lessen her chances of contracting ins. Alternatively, they will use dirty needles that could endanger the
HIV from her husband. patients with hepatitis, AIDS, and other infections.

Dr. Michael Burk, Director of the Dept. of Clinical Immu- On the other hand, if I give them the supplies, I am actively help-
nology at Ichilov Hospital, Tel Aviv ing them destroy their bodies and souls and am perhaps violating the

366 1 Medical-HalacHic Responsa of Rav ZilbeRstein Sinner contracted contagious disease 2 359