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. 1987 Oct;33:2229–2235.

A Critical Look at HIV-Antibody Tests: 2. Benefits, Risks and Clinical Use

JW Frank, RA Coates, BJ Harvey, V Goel, V Schiralli
PMCID: PMC2218558  PMID: 21263946

Abstract

Following their first article on HIV-antibody tests,1 the authors, in this second article, on HIV-antibody testing focus on the benefits and risks that may result from use of the tests. The sequelae of testing, especially if the result is positive, often differ widely, depending on the person tested and on those around him/her. Significant social and psychiatric risks may outweigh any medical benefit of testing, especially for certain persons known to be at high risk of HIV infection. Accordingly, a detailed protocol is suggested for managing both patient requests and physician-perceived indications for HIV-antibody testing. The authors outline the preferred approach to obtaining informed consent, a prerequisite, in their opinion, for ordering the tests.

Keywords: HIV-antibody tests, AIDS tests, counselling

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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