Ethical issues in HIV medicine

• Main Author: Lim, Rachel Wei Shan
• Other Authors: Lim Poh Lian
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2017
• Subjects: DRNTU::Science::Medicine
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/72640
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Vertical transmission of HIV has declined steadily over the years with the introduction of antiretroviral therapy (ART) during pregnancy. However, an ethical dilemma arises when a mother refuses ART and increases the risk of transmission to her child, sparking discussions on mothers’ autonomy, fetal interests and their conflict. Mental disorders like schizophrenia have the potential to diminish a person’s autonomy and decision-making capacity, and the issue takes on a different ethical dimension when schizophrenia is involved. This paper aims to discuss the ethical issues of autonomy, beneficence, surrogate decision-making and maternal-foetal conflict with a systematic approach through a case study.