Ethical aspects of AIDS in childhood in England.

Abstract

Among the special moral concerns applicable to the management of HIV infection in childhood are those relating to consent, confidentiality and the child's rights to medical care and to opportunities for normal development. There may be conflicts of interest between the parents and the child both in connection with natural parents (mother-infant transmission) or with legal guardians, particularly when parental rights have been transferred to state agencies. Although the number of children with HIV infection or suffering from AIDS and its related conditions is small, there is a need for more understanding and for more comprehensive guidance about the ethical problems arising in this group of victims.