Ethics & Infectious Disease

Fear of emerging diseases such as AIDS, SARS, and avian flu - and current concerns about bioterrorism and antibiotic resistance - have pushed the issue of infectious disease to the center of public consciousness. Yet the subject has thus far been neglected by the discipline of bioethics. This timely collection corrects this omission, exploring a wide range of ethical issues arising in contexts involving contagion. Authored by prominent figures, the papers explore ethical issues associated with quarantine, vaccination policy, pandemic planning, biodefense, wildlife disease, medication practice, medical workers' duties to treat patients with dangerous contagious diseases, health care in developing countries, and numerous additional topics. All royalties from this book will go to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.