Canadian HIV/AIDS Group Releases Information on Issues Related to Occupational Exposure to Hepatitis, HIV

The Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network has released a series of fact sheets and a 40-page "backgrounder" on "Testing of Persons Believed to be the Source of an Occupational Exposure to HBV, HCV, or HIV" in an effort to explore the benefits and drawbacks to mandatory testing of the source patient in the case of an exposure. The backgrounder and fact sheets contain a review of the issues raised by occupational exposure to hepatitis B and C and HIV and "demonstrate that more could (and must) be done to prevent occupational exposure, support workers and obtain voluntary consent for testing from source persons, without having recourse to compulsory testing," the group states in a release. The Legal Network hopes that the sheets and background information will foster "informed debate" leading to "sound policies and procedures" to prevent and manage occupational exposure. The backgrounder and fact sheets are available online at www.aidslaw.ca (Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network release, 11/20).